Another Side, Another Story: Nightfall
by Amor of Niam
Summary: Sequel to 'Sunset' book. Her mind set and the past behind her, Vanessa continues her journey as she tries to lend a hand against the peril around her. But new problems arise with the Organization's newest pawn, the mysterious Number Zero. Riku/OC.
1. Chosen Path

Author's Note: Hello everyone, it's me again! As promised, May 2010, I give to thee my fellow readers, Another Side, Another Story: Nightfall, a story continuing the misadventures of Vanessa with 200% more Riku action yay! Sorry Roxas/Vanessa fans, but he's technically dead and I'm strongly against necrophilia... At any rate, please enjoy my second installment, and remember to read and review so that we make this story twice as successful as the old one! Or else.

Oh, and for all you newcomers to this story, you'll get it more if you read Sunset, conveniently located under My Stories. But to save time: The story revolves around Vanessa, a girl who was transported to the world of Kingdom Hearts as a result of a Heartless invasion of her world, Sapphire City. She briefly lived with DiZ, Riku, and Namine as they tried to awaken Sora. As the story progressed, Vanessa discovered that she could wield a Keyblade. Also discovering this info was Organization XIII, who promptly kidnapped her for her power. She was forced to collect hearts for the Organization against her will, and was miserable for the first couple of days until Roxas entered the scene. After spending several months with the Organization, Roxas and Vanessa developed a close friendship that bloomed into something more. Unfortunately, the Organization used the relationship in a plot to harvest Vanessa's heart for the more timely completion of Kingdom Hearts. In the end, Vanessa and Roxas escape, only to have Roxas be absorbed into Sora. Riku and Vanessa, who used to be at odds with each other, reconcile and are now traveling together to help Riku conquer his Darkness, and subsequently save the world.

So yeah, that's Book One in a nutshell, hope it helps!

Disclaimer: Because I _know_ how much everyone reads these, I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything associated with it.

Chapter 1: Chosen Path

_Vanessa sat idly on the ledge of the clock tower, looking up at the horizon. The wind attempted to sway her dark brown braided hair, but it was being weighed down by strings of silver beads. The only thing the wind successful managed to ruffle was her black coat's hood. A stream of sparkling dust floated by and materialized into a figure beside her. It was Roxas._

"_Why?" he asked. "Why'd you betray me? I thought you loved me." Before Vanessa could reply to his accusations, Roxas blew away into dust._

"No!" cried Vanessa as she bolted awake. She frantically checked her surroundings. It was dark everywhere, as it should have been; it was night.

"Are you alright?" asked a voice in the blackness. Vanessa sighed with relief and smiled.

"I'm fine Riku," she said. "Don't worry about me."

"I can't help it," Riku replied. "You've been having nightmares for days now and you refuse to talk about them." Vanessa pulled her knees to her chest.

"Its nothing," she muttered. Although he suspected otherwise, Riku asked no more questions. He came to know all too well that when Vanessa did not want to talk, she did _not_ want to talk. He sighed.

"Whatever you say," he remarked. He stood to his feet from his spot in a grassy plain. The stars shined above him overhead. He has traveled with Vanessa for one week now, and during this time, the two have moved from world to world under the cover of the Darkness. Every time Vanessa asked where they were going or what they were doing, Riku would never seem to provide a straight answer. They ambled aimlessly through the Darkness, no set destination in mind, or so Vanessa thought. Currently, they were in a world that seemed to be an endless field of grassy hills with a dirt road split right down the middle that seemed to go on forever. They had camped at the side of the path for the night.

"He's here," said Riku. Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"Huh?" she asked, standing to her feet as well. "Who's here?"

"A friend," Riku replied. A dark portal opened to reveal a short mouse with huge round ears. Like Vanessa and Riku, he wore the black coat.

"Riku!" cried the mouse, eagerly running up to him. "I've been looking all over for ya! Where've ya been?"

"I had to awaken Sora," said Riku. The mouse opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when he spotted Vanessa. He grinned.

"Oh boy! I didn't realize you were with a friend!" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry; I don't believe we've met!"

"Uh…" said Vanessa, looking down at the mouse with confusion and uncertainty.

"This is Mickey," said Riku. "_King_ Mickey I should say." Vanessa gasped.

"K-King?" she repeated in shock. "No way!" 'King' Mickey laughed.

"Aww shucks, I may be small, but yes, I'm technically a king." he said. He stuck out his hand. "Nice to meetcha!" A poorly suppressed snicker escaped Vanessa's nose. She tried hard to fight the smile that rapidly spread across her face, but in vain. Soon, she burst into hysterics.

"Oh my god!" she cried through bouts of laughter. "That's the best I've heard yet!" King Mickey's face fell.

"Well gosh, I fail to see the joke," he deadpanned.

"It's the truth Vanessa," said Riku. "He rules a world known as Disney Castle." Vanessa instantly stopped laughing.

"Whoa, you mean he's _legit_?" she asked. Riku nodded. Her eyes widened as her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh sugar! Oh god! Oh crap! Oh I'm so sorry! I-I didn't know! Oh god I feel so stupid! I…" The king laughed.

"It's a-ok! I get it all the time!" he assured her. "Don't worry; I understand." Vanessa smiled awkwardly.

"Um, well, I'm Vanessa," she said. "Nessa for short."

"Well it's good to meetcha Vanessa, Nessa for short!" said the king. He once again offered his hand, to which Vanessa obliged. He turned his attention to Riku.

"Now that that's outta the way…" he said. He frowned. "…we need to talk. I can sense the Darkness Riku; why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry," said Riku. "I didn't want you to know."

"And how deeply did you go?" the king asked. Reluctantly, Riku's hands grabbed onto his hood. He slowly pulled it down from over his head, revealing his dark form. Vanessa cringed inwardly; King Mickey shook his head disapprovingly.

"I wish you told me Riku," he said. "Why?"

"It was the only way I could help Sora…" Riku replied. "…and conquer my Darkness." The king sighed.

"Well, I can't stop ya from following your own path," he said. "I just hope you know what you're doing." Riku nodded.

"Thank you," he said. "I just have one request if you please." The mouse king smiled.

"Anything!" he said. "Just name it!"

"Please…" said Riku. "…don't tell Sora where I am, or _anything_ about me for that matter." King Mickey faltered.

"Wh-What?" he exclaimed. "Riku! Sora's been looking the world over for ya! And so have Donald and Goofy! Don'tcha think they deserve to know that you're…"

"Please," implored Riku. "I don't want him to find me. Not yet. Please, just give me a little more time." King Mickey folded his arms.

"I don't know…" he said pensively.

"Please your highness?" asked Vanessa, coming to her friend's aid. "Riku still has issues that he needs to get through on his own. He's not ready to face the music just yet. Sora's a sweet guy, I'm sure he'll understand, won't he? Just a little while longer, that's all we ask." Mickey sighed and smiled.

"Well, I guess a little while longer won't hurt," he relented. "I see you've met Sora."

"Briefly," Vanessa remarked. King Mickey nodded.

"I see," he said. "Well Riku, Vanessa, I wish you both the best of luck on your journey." he said. A portal of Darkness appeared behind him. "Be careful." With that, he disappeared.

"He's a king for _real_?" asked Vanessa when he was gone. She shook her head. "Damn…" She gave Riku a quick slap on the arm, causing him to flinch. "Why the heck didn't you tell me?"

"But I _did_ tell you!" Riku countered. "Remember?" Vanessa scowled.

"I thought you were joking…" she muttered. Riku smirked.

"Whose fault is that?" he asked. Vanessa rolled her eyes.

"Whatever…" she said. A moment of silence passed between the two.

"Vanessa?" said Riku.

"Mmhmm?" she replied.

"Thank you," said Riku. Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"For what?" she asked. Riku gave a small smile.

"For sticking up for me back there," he said. "I really appreciate it." Vanessa smiled and waved him off.

"Oh you're welcome. You didn't really have to thank me though."

"You didn't have to get involved."

"But I did."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Please, tell me. Why?"

"'Cause I'm your friend moron! Did you go brain-dead last night and forget? Duh!"

"So I'm a moron now?"

"Yes."

"Not subtle at all, are we?"

"Hey, it is what it is man." Riku chuckled.

"True," he admitted. He gently embraced his candid friend. She gasped softly. "Thank you." Vanessa smiled and returned the favor.

"Like I said Riku, what are friends for?" she said. They broke apart. "Now, where to next?"

"Well, we're finished here…" Riku replied. "…but I'm not exactly sure where I..._we _need to be next."

"Well shoot, you're the leader…" remarked Vanessa. "…I follow you, so don't look to me for no suggestions."

"Believe me, I wouldn't," Riku teased. Vanessa just rolled her eyes, muttering incoherent threats and obscenities that Riku thankfully could not pick up on. He opened a portal to the Corridor of Darkness.

"Figured it out?" Vanessa asked. Riku nodded.

"Yeah, for the most part," he replied.

"So where to Captain Omniscient?" Vanessa joked.

"Away from here," Riku replied as he pulled up his hood and stepped into the Darkness.


	2. The Mysterious Number Zero

Author's Note: It's nice to see all my old fans coming back to lend their support (one even admitted to stalking me)! Thanks you guys! One thing I wanted to let you guys know before we get started: If you can remember from my first story, I posted my chapters almost the same time every night, knocking it out in like a month. Well, the reason I waited a whole month before posting _this_ story is because I like to finish my stories before I post them; I was supposed to use that month to finish this one. Unfortunately, sigh sigh, my laziness got in the way, so this story is only half-done. That being said, this story'll take a little longer to be completed, but have no fear! You won't see the lag until around chapter 16, so enjoy 'til then!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Nuff said.

Chapter 2: The Mysterious Number Zero

Number Zero slowly closed her book and piled it on top of the stack of books on her plain white dresser. She sat down on her bed and stared into space. This was how she spent the majority of her evenings since she first joined the Organization: Alone in her room with nothing but her books and her thoughts to keep her company. She did not know why she read as much as she did; perhaps reading about the lives and adventures of others allowed for an escape, if only temporarily, from her dreary existence. Bored with staring into nothingness, despite being slightly tired from her latest mission, she picked up yet another book.

Number Zero had no past, but it did not stop her from knowing exactly who she was. "A means to an end" were the Superior's exact words. She was nothing, a Nobody. She was not worthless, but she was worth less than her predecessors, and not a day went by that she was not reminded of this apparent fact. After every mission she completed, the dozens of hearts she spent hours collecting never seemed to be enough. 'More' was Number VII's favorite word it seemed. Her comrades were not much better. Number II cracked jokes alluding to how much better the Keyblade wielders before her were, and Number III spoke blatantly of her apparent 'laziness'. Number VIII was never around. In fact, he seemed to want nothing to do with her. Number IX _tried_ to be somewhat nice, but his attempts were lost on her. She did not appreciate his music, and she could care less about the beauty of his water shows. He displayed more emotion than she could comprehend. Last but not least, Number X normally quipped to her about how ill-fated she was and lamented over her being dealt 'a bad hand in life' because of her forced existence.

She knew she was a replica. She understood very well that she was the most unreal of all the Nobodies. If a normal Nobody did not deserve to exist, Zero did not deserve to be _mentioned_. At least, according to everyone else's logic, that is what she thought, and she understood this perfectly well. What she did not understand, however, was that if she was an exact replica of the Organization's most valuable tools, how she was more inferior. One was a traitor, and the other was not a real member, only a pawn. The traitor she could understand; he was like her, a Nobody, nothing. But the human pawn, with her still beating heart and purpose in life, Number Zero hated. Anger and hate was all she felt towards this person. She loathed the very idea that she was created from this person, this _Somebody_. Zero clenched her fists as her creamy brown face hardened. She was getting worked up again.

"No, calm down; calm down…" she whispered to herself. "Calm yourself." She closed her purple eyes repeated this mantra to herself until she had calmed down. She reopened her eyes and sighed.

"Save the anger for the Heartless," she said softly. She ran her fingers through her long, silky black hair which always calmed her down further. Her hair was her vanity; she prided herself in it. It was the only thing she could. According to everyone, her skills, her hard work, her determination to be useful, and her existence were substandard at best. She was not even important enough to warrant a name.

"_Number Zero _is _your name,"_ she remembered Saïx say when she asked him what her name was. She noticed that all the other members were called something else besides their ranks, and after learning what they were, she petitioned for her own. She was immediately shot down, her inquiry too 'trifling'. A week has passed since she first noticed the Superior hovering over her once her new-born eyes adjusted to the lights. In that time, she has slain 132 Heartless, collected 84 hearts, read 12 books, and acquired 0 allies. Not even the Dusks paid heed to her. Some even tried to pull pranks on her on numerous occasions.

Miserable as she was, she never showed it. This was because she did not feel it. She was not oblivious to the pain, she was simply above it. She felt no emotion, save for anger and hate. Anything other than that, she did not know of, nor cared for. She was the textbook example of a true Nobody, totally unfeeling. She could not remember what it was like to feel because she did not have a past in which she felt them. She had dreams of her mortal enemy with smiles on her face. Zero would awaken from these dreams enraged every time, simply because that girl was in them. And when she dreamed of the pawn and the traitor together, smiling and laughing with each other, it was enough to set Zero off on a rampage that lasted hours. She had to be assigned another room because she haphazardly destroyed her old one, and the little sympathy she held from her comrades, in a fit of rage. Her anger was her greatest weapon, and her greatest personal failure.

"_Little missy used to get pretty upset like you sometimes…_" Zero recalled Xigbar telling her once. "_…the only difference between you and her was that she kept it inside and let it out by crying. On the flip side, you just flip out!_" She almost retched from the pure torture of knowing she shared _traits_ with this girl. And when she found out she had her eyes! She would have clawed them out if she did not need them. Instead, she refused to look into a mirror since.

Fortunately for herself, and everyone around her, her rage was more or less controlled. Violent outbursts were rare. She was normally very placid and quiet. She saved her anger for the Heartless.

Despite being the combination of two, she wielded only one Keyblade. Everything about it was pitch black: the curved shaft, the handle, the upside down heart-shaped base, the chain, the cresent moon charm, and the four-pronged blade. Only the crimson jewel embedded in the intersection of the handle and the base provided any color. And it was heavy, _very _heavy; heavier than a Keyblade should be. When she was calm, it was unwieldy; only when she was angry could she use it. The angrier she was, the lighter it became, rather, the angrier she was, the stronger she would become, therefore, she always fought angry. Anger was to her what the moon was to Saix: her ultimate source of berserker strength.

Just as she was about to nod off, a Dusk appeared in her room.

"Master Saix is summoning you," it conveyed to her, and then disappeared. Zero sighed and rose to her feet.

"I hope this isn't a prank," she said aloud. Using the Darkness, she appeared in the Grey Area where she knew Saix would be.

"Another mission for you has just sprung up," he said when she arrived. "You are to team up with Axel in Twilight Town for this assignment." Zero shrugged.

"Alright," she replied. It surprised her that she was to team with Number VIII considering she barely saw the man, but she made nothing of it.

"He will brief you when you arrive," said Saix. He opened a portal. "Do not disappoint." Zero said nothing and entered the Darkness. When she arrived, she was in the underground station.

"So, you're my back up I see," said a voice. Zero turned around to see Axel behind her. "Figures Saix would send you." Zero blinked.

"Is that a problem?" she asked plainly. Axel frowned.

"As a matter of fact, yes," he retorted. Zero raised her brow.

"Well, nothing can be done about that on my end," she said. "What is our mission?" Axel folded his arms.

"Heartless infestation, got it memorized?" he replied.

"Shadow blobs?" Zero asked. Axel nodded. "Thats easy enough." Suddenly, a swarm of Heartless appeared around them. Axel smirked as he summoned his chakrams.

"Still think this is easy?" he teased. Number Zero replied by summoning her Keyblade. It was so heavy that it fell to the ground with a loud thud. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Soon, the jewel on her weapon began to glow. Her eyes shot open; rage danced within them like flames. With a loud cry, she effortlessly lifted her weapon in the air and rushed into the crowd, taking out every Heartless in sight with only a few devastating blows. Axel just stood by and watched with a combination of fascination and unease. He had never seen Number Zero fight until today. He had heard of the incident with her room, but he was on a mission that day. He never saw the damage. When Zero was finished, she slung her Keyblade over her shoulder.

"Whoa..." Axel quipped. "...they were right; you _are _violent!"

"Only when I'm angry," Zero replied. "Come on, let's finish this mission." She took off deeper underground. Axel just smirked and complied.


	3. Fates Intertwined

Author's Note: It's ironic how my first story has a huge spike in hits since I posted this story... Hmm... Anyway, I've nothing remotely witty to say, so I won't. On with the story!

Disclaimer: Je ne possède pas des Kingdom Hearts. Or whatever...

Chapter 3: Fates Intertwined

"36 bottles of beer on the wall, 36 bottles of beer!" sang Vanessa as she and Riku journeyed through the Corridor of Darkness. "You take one down, pass it around, 35 bottles of beer on the wall!" She stopped to catch her breath before starting up again. "35 bottles of beer on the wall, 35 bottles of beer!"

"To be perfectly honest…" Riku interrupted. "…I'm not very enthusiastic about your singing. I endured 64 bottles; haven't I suffered enough?" Vanessa scowled.

"Like you can sing any better!" she retorted. She groaned. "Are we there yet? Where are we going anyway?" Riku stopped. "Hmm? What's the matter?"

"Someone's coming," he said. "Hide." Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"That's a great idea…" she said sarcastically. "…but _where_?" Riku grabbed Vanessa's arm and pulled her further along the corridor. He concealed them both in a shroud of Darkness. Suddenly, two figures appeared. One Vanessa instantly recognized as Axel. The other, the girl, she had never seen before.

"Good work today," said Axel. The girl looked up at him.

"Good work?" she questioned. "You thought I did a good job?" Axel smirked.

"Well yeah," he said. "Why, you don't think so?"

"No one's ever told me that before," she admitted. Axel laughed and patted her shoulder.

"Come on Zero, let's hurry up and get back," he said. The two subsequently disappeared. Riku unveiled them from his cloak of Darkness.

"That girl…" he said. "…who was she?" Vanessa shook her head.

"Beats the hell outta me," she said. "Never seen her before in my life."

"She looked a lot like you," Riku mused. "Could she…?" He shook his head. "No, never mind."

"Could she what?" asked Vanessa. "What're you thinking?"

"It's nothing," he said. "Mind your business." Vanessa rolled her eyes.

"Well _fine_ then," she said. "Be that way." Riku opened a portal.

"Come on," he said. "I have a surprise for you." Vanessa perked up in interest.

"A surprise?" she inquired. "What kinda surprise?"

"Come and you'll see," Riku replied. He stepped through the portal, Vanessa following suit. She had to squint her eyes to get used to the light, but when she was able to open them, she gasped at what she saw. She was on a beautiful tropical island. Behind her, an abundance of palm trees flourished. Ahead, the clear blue ocean crashed ashore. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon.

"Riku…" said Vanessa. "…this place… Where are we?"

"Destiny Island," he replied. "My home."

"You live _here_?" Vanessa asked. She marveled at the island's splendor. "It's beautiful!"

"I thought you'd like it," said Riku. He leaned his back against a palm tree whose trunk was bent towards the ground. Vanessa took a seat on top of it. She smiled as she felt the ocean's breeze blow against her body. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Y'know, I've never been to the ocean before," she revealed. "There's no beach where I live."

"No?" Riku remarked. "That's a shame. The ocean can be a wonderful place." Vanessa nodded.

"I'm saying," she agreed. "Hey Riku?"

"Yes?" he replied.

"How did you end up this way, knee-deep in the dark, when you could be here?"

"I was selfish."

"Selfish?"

"I was so caught up in leaving this place, that I couldn't see that my actions were putting everyone else in danger."

"Why did you ever wanna leave?"

"I wanted to know what life was like beyond this ocean."

"And?"

"The grass is always greener on the other side."

"You regret it?"

"Very much so. No good came out of it."

"You sure about that?"

"I'm sure." Vanessa pouted.

"Oh, so what am I? Chopped liver?" she complained. Riku faltered.

"Vanessa…" he said softly. "…I'm sorry." Vanessa laughed.

"I'm kidding!" she said. "I'm just kidding Riku, don't mind me."

"No…" said Riku. "…you're right." Vanessa jumped down from her seat and hugged Riku to her side.

"You're so uptight Riku, you know that?" she asked. Before he could reply, a peripheral sight caused him to jump.

"Uh oh," he said. He promptly disappeared, causing Vanessa to fall in the sand.

"What the hell?" she cried. She angrily rose to her feet. "That little son of a…!"

"Hello?" called a voice. Vanessa stopped her rant and turned towards the origin of the voice. It was a girl. She had shoulder-length burgundy hair and soft blue eyes. She wore what appeared to be her school uniform, a white blouse, a light blue, plaid skirt and a matching tie.

"K-Kairi?" Vanessa could not help but to utter. The girl whom she assumed to be Kairi stepped forward.

"That's my name," she said. "Have we met before?"

"No," said Vanessa. "Um, I'm Vanessa. Nessa for short." Kairi smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," she said. She frowned. "I'm sorry, but how do you know my name?" Vanessa smiled.

"I've wanted to meet you," she said. "You're Sora's friend, right?" Kairi gasped.

"You know Sora?" she asked. "What's happened to him? Where is he now? Is he hurt? Oh please tell me!"

"Whoa whoa! One at a time!" said Vanessa. Kairi smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I've just been so worried. Is he ok?"

"He's fine, believe me," said Vanessa. "He's off doing what I assume he does best: Saving the world and stuff." Kairi giggled.

"Yeah, he does like to play hero," she agreed. "How do you know him?"

"I don't exactly know him per se…" Vanessa admitted. "…but I know a friend who knows him, and I have met him once." Kairi drew closer to her.

"This friend…" said Kairi. "…tell me, is it Riku?" Vanessa flinched.

"U-Uh…" she stammered.

"Please!" Kairi implored. "Is he ok?"

"Hey now, I didn't say anything," said Vanessa. "For all you know, it's someone else."

"But its Riku, isn't it?" asked Kairi. Vanessa shook her head.

"Look, I've said enough alright?" she said. "I'm sorry; I can't help you." She turned to leave, but Kairi ran in front of her and blocked her path. She clasped her hands together.

"Please," she begged. "I need to know." Vanessa sighed.

"He's doing fine," she said.

"I know we've only just met…" said Kairi. "…but please, could you do me one favor?" Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"A favor?" she repeated. "What?"

"Could you…" Kairi began. "…could you please make sure they both come home ok?"

"Y'know, that's a tall order for someone you just met," said Vanessa. Kairi looked away.

"I know…" she said sadly. "…I'm sorry I asked…"

"A tall order…" said Vanessa. She grinned. "…but not _totally_ unreasonable. I guess if I'm resourceful, I could do it." Kairi gasped.

"Y-You'll do it?" she asked. Vanessa nodded. Kairi beamed and embraced her. "Oh thank you so much! How could I ever repay you?"

"Stop crushing my lungs, and we're even," Vanessa breathed.

"Oh!" exclaimed Kairi as she released Vanessa from her death grip. "I'm sorry!" Vanessa laughed.

"Don't sweat it!" she said. "And don't worry; I'll make sure those two bone-heads make it back safe and sound. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but you know what they say: When there's a will, there's a way." Kairi smiled.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much." She frowned. "But why are you doing this? You barely know me."

"Because a friend of Riku is a friend of mine," Vanessa replied. "Besides, I feel as if I've known you all my life." Kairi nodded.

"Same here," she agreed. "I wonder why?" Vanessa shrugged.

"Beats me," she said. "But anyway, I might as well get started." She waved her hand. At her command, a dark portal appeared, just as Riku taught her. She looked back at Kairi and smiled. "See you around, and take care ok?"

"I will," said Kairi. "Good luck!" Vanessa entered the Corridor of Darkness to find Riku. He rushed up to her.

"Vanessa!" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry; I hadn't realized I left you until it was too late! Are you mad at me?" Vanessa eyed him evilly.

"Damn right I'm mad!" she snarled. "What the hell was that for?"

"I'm sorry…" said Riku. "…but I couldn't let Kairi see me." Vanessa sighed.

"Y'know, she's really worried about you Riku," she said. "She's so desperate to see you safe, she entrusted your well being to a complete stranger." Riku tensed up.

"Who?" he asked sternly. Vanessa grinned and pointed a thumb at herself.

"Yours truly," she replied. Riku sighed with relief.

"I thought you meant an _actual_ stranger," he said. "She asked you to look after me?"

"Yup, so you_ know_ she's desperate," joked Vanessa.

"And you agreed?" asked Riku.

"Yeah," said Vanessa. "Of course I did! Just seeing that poor girl _beg_ me, it broke my heart!" She folded her arms. "All I know is, when all this is over, I'm gonna kick both your and Sora's ass!" Riku flinched.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"For worrying her like that!" said Vanessa. "You're lucky Kairi isn't me, 'cause if she was, she would've _been_ broke her foot up your ass for making her worry like that!" She sighed. "But anyway, I'm getting myself all worked up. Let's keep moving."

"Where are we going?" asked Riku. Vanessa thought for a moment.

"You're ok so far right?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" asked Riku.

"I mean, you'll be alright on your own for a while right?" Vanessa reiterated.

"I don't understand."

"I want to go my own separate way for a while."

"What? But why?"

"I promised Kairi I'd look after both you _and_ Sora. I can't do that if I'm with you."

"So you're leaving me?"

"Only for a little while. Don't be upset Riku; I just wanna see if he's alright. I made Kairi a promise, and I'll be damned if I don't keep it." Riku sighed.

"I guess I can't stop you…" he relented. "…but please Vanessa, be careful out there. I won't be able to protect you," Vanessa smirked.

"Like I need you to protect me," she joked. "I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself thank you." Riku chuckled.

"True," he said. "But please, just be careful." Vanessa nodded.

"I will," she said. "Bye Riku. You take care now. And you better not get into any trouble while I'm gone, or I'll kick your ass!" Riku nodded as well. Vanessa went off in the opposite direction, but quickly changed her mind to embrace him.

"I'll be back, I promise," she whispered. She planted a quick kiss on Riku's cheek before speeding off towards the Darkness of the unknown.


	4. As Cold as Sea Salt Ice Cream

Author's Note: It's me again! Once again, nothing witty to say so, yeah, here you go! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No poseo Kingdom Hearts homes!

Chapter 4: As Cold as Sea-Salt Ice-cream

Zero reappeared in the Grey Area after just completing a mission. She was extremely worn; she worked harder than ever.

"You're back," said Saïx. "How many hearts did you collect today?"

"25," said Zero somewhat proudly. Saïx, of course, was not nearly as pleased. He frowned.

"Better…" he said. "…but still not good enough." Number Zero sighed.

"Is it ever?" she muttered bitterly. A hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked up to see Axel.

"Cut her some slack man," he said, coming to her defense. "I'm sure she's trying as hard as she can."

"Well trying isn't good enough," Saïx retorted.

"But at least she's consistent," said Axel. "And she tries harder everyday. What more can you ask for?" Saïx grunted, but said nothing else. Instead, he turned his back to them.

"Come on," whispered Axel. Zero obediently followed him out of the room.

"You stood up for me," she said. "Why?" Axel smirked.

"I know what it's like to get it from Saïx," he sad. "After a while, it gets pretty annoying, so I thought, why not help you out?" Zero looked at her feet.

"Thanks…" she said. "…I guess."

"You look like you could use a treat," said Axel. "Here, follow me." He opened a portal and went through. Though confused, Zero followed suit. When she arrived, she was on top of Twilight Town's clock tower. She looked around; Axel was no where in sight. She frowned.

"Another prank…" she concluded. She sighed. Seeing that she had nothing better to do, Zero sat on the ledge of the tower. She stared at the setting sun.

"_This is amazing! Look_ _at that sunset! Have you ever seen a prettier one in your life?_" said a voice in her mind.

"I guess I haven't…" Zero mused. Suddenly, Axel appeared beside her, two bars of ice cream in hand.

"Here you go," he said as he handed her one. He took his seat on the ledge and took a bite. "I haven't been up here in a week." Zero warily examined her treat.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Its ice cream," said Axel. "Go on, eat it. It's not gonna poison you, I promise." Zero took a large bite. Her eyes shot open.

"Ah! It's cold!" she exclaimed. Axel laughed.

"Well duh!" he joked. "You never had ice cream before?" Zero shook her head.

"Of course not," she said. "When would I ever have? I've only existed for a week." Axel frowned.

"Oh yeah…" he said. "…sorry about that," Zero shrugged.

"No need to apologize," she said. "It's only a fact." She took another shot at the ice cream. "It tastes like frozen salt."

"Its sea-salt ice cream," said Axel. "It's supposed to be salty and sweet." Zero furrowed her brows. She tried it once more, and then threw it off the side of the tower. "Hey! What was that for? That cost munny y'know!"

"Didn't like it," said Zero. "Too salty." Axel sighed.

"That's a shocker," he said. "I actually thought you'd like it."

"Why?" Zero asked.

"Because Vanessa did," the red-haired Nobody replied. Zero narrowed her eyes.

"Don't ever mention her again," she said coldly. Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I hate her."

"Is that right?"

"Yes."

"How come?"

"Because…she exists."

"I see. Well, you're in good company, 'cause I hate her too."

"You do? Why?"

"She exists." Zero looked at her hands.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" she asked. Axel sighed and finished the rest of his treat.

"Because…" he said. "…I hated you too." Zero nodded.

"I figured as much," she said. Axel looked at her.

"That doesn't bother you?" he wondered. Zero shook her head.

"Why should it?" she said. "It makes no difference to me. I don't know you, and for all I know, you have a legitimate reason to hate me. Besides, I don't necessarily care for you either." Axel chuckled.

"Is that so?" he said. "And why's that?"

"I just don't. But to be fair, I don't care for anyone."

"But you don't _hate_ me."

"I wouldn't go that far, no."

"And you've never done anything to me."

"I don't believe so."

"So aren't you the least bit curious as to why I hated you?"

"A little I guess."

"Do want me to tell you?"

"If you want; I don't really care either way."

"You remind me of her."

"Her?"

"Vanessa."

"Oh, _her_…" Zero looked up at the horizon. "Why do you hate her?"

"Because of her, Roxas is gone," said Axel.

"Roxas…" mused Zero. "…the traitor?" Axel frowned.

"He's _not_ a traitor," he said defensively. "He'd still be here if it weren't for her."

"What was she like?" asked Zero. Axel furrowed his brows.

"Huh?" he said. "Why do you care?" Zero shrugged.

"I want to know about the person everyone compares me to on a daily basis," she said. "So, what was like?" Axel scratched the back of his head.

"Well…" he said. "…she was very abrasive and she liked to joke around a lot. She was very…strange."

"Strange?" asked Zero.

"Yeah," said Axel. "She was just…different. It's kinda hard to explain, impossible really. You'd have to meet her for yourself."

"Was she strong?"

"Not as strong as you if that's what you're getting at. She wasn't the best fighter, not compared to most of us, but she was very fast. If she couldn't beat it, she'd run."

"So she's a coward…"

"Not necessarily a coward. She chose her battles carefully. If she knew she couldn't win, she wouldn't stick around to get killed."

"Sounds cowardly to me."

"Maybe."

"Where is she now?"

"Who knows?" Zero clenched her fists.

"I'm going to find her…" she said evenly. "…and when I do, I'll destroy her." Axel smirked.

"Well then, I guess it sucks to be her right about now," he joked. "Believe me; you could take her in a fight."

"Axel?" said Zero.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"If you hate me so much, why are you being nice to me?" Zero asked. Axel looked up at the sunset.

"You weren't listening," he said. "I said I 'hated' you, which means I don't anymore, got it memorized?"

"Why not?" Zero inquired. Axel shrugged.

"I guess I just can't," he said. "Sure, you _look_ like her, but you're definitely _not_ her, so it'd make no sense to hate you." Zero yawned.

"You're weird," she said. She stood to her feet. "I'm going back to the castle. "Thanks for the ice cream, even though it didn't taste good." On that note, she disappeared. Axel smirked.

"No sense at all…" he muttered.


	5. The Search Begins

Author's Note: Iron Man 2 was AWESOME! Man I'm tired... Enjoy the chapter as always my loyal ghost-reading bastards...I mean loyal fans!

Disclaimer: Eu não possuo Kingdom Hearts.

Chapter 5: The Search Begins

Vanessa roamed the streets of this new world she had just arrived in. The streets were empty and activity-free, save for the white cylinders that randomly popped up from the ground every so often.

"What _are _these things?" Vanessa wondered aloud. Feeling bold, she reached out to one just as it sprang up. As soon as she made contact with it, it gave her a good zap. She immediately brought her hand back.

"Ouch!" she cried. She held her injured fingers in pain. "God dammit! What the hell was _that_ for? Piece of crap!" She shook off the pain and continued on.

"Where _is_ everyone?" she questioned. She came to a stone terrace and looked down off the side. It was a long drop into a rocky chasm from where she was. She shuddered slightly.

"I'd hate to be the unlucky guy who falls down _there_," she mused. She continued to walk until she arrived at what appeared to be a marketplace. She saw several shops, but no people. The place was completely deserted. Well, _almost_ completely. As she went to take a closer look at a particular stand, a creature popped up in her face.

"Hello there, kupo!" greeted the creature enthusiastically. Vanessa jumped back in surprise.

"Whoa!" she cried. She summoned her Keyblade. "Who are you?"

"I'm this town's humble shopkeeper, kupo!" exclaimed the creamy-furred, teddy-bear like creature that Vanessa came to know as a Moogle. "And you, my good madam, are my lucky customer, kupo!" Vanessa disappeared her weapon and pointed at herself.

"Uh, me?" she asked, confused.

"Of course you!" said the Moogle. "Come, kupo, have a look at my wares!" He lifted a shutter from over his stand to reveal a plethora of goods. "Like what you see, kupo?"

"Uh, yeah…" said Vanessa. "Um, look, I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm really not interested." The Moogle's antenna drooped with obvious disappointment.

"Oh, really, kupo?" he asked. "My business has been tanking ever since those stupid Heartless showed up!" He groaned. "No one ever comes by here anymore, kupo!"

"Where exactly am I?" Vanessa asked.

"Ah, you're an outsider I see," said the Moogle. "Well ma'am, this here is Hollow Bastion, kupo." Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"Hollow Bastion?" she asked. She looked around. "Can't say the name doesn't fit, that's for sure. Where's all the people?"

"Like I said, the Heartless," explained the Moogle. "Everyone's too scared to leave their homes, lest they incur the Heartless' wrath! Only the bravest of the brave are fighting them off."

"And who are they?" asked Vanessa.

"The Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee, that's who, kupo!" exclaimed the shopkeeper proudly. "They're the only reason I'm still in business as a matter of fact. A meager business, but business none the less!" Vanessa nodded.

"I see…" she said. "…and what the heck is a Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee?"

"It's a group that's working towards bringing this place back to its former glory, kupo."

"_This_ place had former _glory_? Ch'yeah right. But anyway, who makes up this 'committee'?"

"Well, there's Leon, and Cid, and Yuffie… And then there's Aerith… Oh, and Merlin the wizard too!"

"Do you know a kid named Sora?"

"Sora? Sounds familiar, but then again, not so much, kupo."

"Spiky, sandy-blond hair, blue eyes, weapon shaped like a giant key; does that help?"

"Uh…nope. Sorry, kupo. Doesn't ring any bells."

"Oh. Well, can you tell me where those committee people live?"

"Now that's an easy one! Go a few blocks down and you'll see a small house with a purple roof, kupo. Ya can't miss it!"

"'K, thanks!" Vanessa set off to search for this house, but before she took a few steps, she turned back to purchase a potion from the struggling Moogle.

"Can never be too careful," she thought. As she neared the destination in question, a group of Solider Heartless blocked her path. Vanessa summoned her Keyblade and smirked.

"I guess a little exercise won't hurt…" she said. "…bring it on bucket-heads!" She rushed into the swarm. In no time at all, all of the Heartless were defeated. Vanessa slung her weapon over her shoulder and grinned triumphantly.

"Oh yeah, I kick ass!" she exclaimed proudly.

"That was some fancy swordplay there!" said a voice. Vanessa immediately pulled into a defensive stance and looked up. On top of a pile of rubble stood a girl dressed in black and grey. She had very short black hair and a long black bandana tied around her head. She jumped down from the rubble in front of Vanessa. "Don't remember seeing you around here. Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Vanessa asked.

"I believe I asked first!" said the girl light-heartedly. Vanessa shrugged.

"I asked last," she countered. The girl chuckled and folded her arms.

"True!" she said. She pointed a thumb at herself. "I'm Yuffie." Vanessa gasped.

"You're one of the restoration committee!" she exclaimed. Yuffie placed her hands on her hips.

"Now who told you that?" she asked. Vanessa disappeared her weapon.

"Some Moogle," she admitted. "I was looking for you guys."

"And why's that?" asked Yuffie.

"Do you know a kid named Sora?" asked Vanessa. Yuffie furrowed her brows and folded her arms.

"Now why do you wanna know _that_?" she asked suspiciously. Vanessa sighed.

"Well good god, you sure ask a lot of questions…" she complained. "…we'll be here all damn day!" Yuffie laughed.

"I got time!" she said. "The question is: Do _you_?" Vanessa grinned.

"Put some food in my belly and I got all the time in the world baby!" she joked, receiving another laugh from Yuffie.

"Well, you _seem_ ok," she said. She scrutinized Vanessa's appearance. "Yeah, I think you're ok. Come with me; I'll introduce you to everyone else." Vanessa nodded.

"Lead the way," she said. She followed the darkly clad girl to the very house she was looking for. When she stepped inside, she saw a blond man with slightly tanned skin typing away at a computer. A stream of smoke floated over his head, indicating that he had a cigarette in his mouth.

"Cid!" exclaimed Yuffie. "We have company!"

"Ah dammit, who is it now?" the man known as Cid swore. He turned around and noticed Vanessa. "Who the hell is she?"

"This is Vanessa," said Yuffie. "She's asking about Sora." Cid raised his eyebrow.

"Sora huh?" he asked. "Whatchu wanna know about him for?"

"Someone's asking about Sora?" inquired a soft voice. A tall woman wearing a pink dress walked in. She had brunette hair braided in a ponytail and green, doe eyes. She smiled at Vanessa. "Hello there. I'm Aerith. Who are you?"

"Vanessa," the Keyblade-wielder replied. "Nessa for short."

"Well 'Nessa for short'…" said Cid. "…what the hell you wanna know about Sora for?"

"Oh Cid, please don't be rude," scolded Aerith. "She's our guest." Cid rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer.

"Whatever," he said. "Y'all can take care of it on your own then." Vanessa leaned over to Yuffie.

"What's up _his_ ass?" she whispered.

"I _heard_ that!" called Cid. "And watch your mouth there missy!"

"Look whose talking!" Vanessa retorted. Cid swiveled back around.

"You got something to say to me you little twerp?" he bellowed.

"Naw…" said Vanessa. "…except for: Put the cancer-stick out before you take us all down to Hell with you!" The two verbal-combatants stared each other down for a long while. Aerith and Yuffie glanced at each other worriedly, fearing a fight. Finally, Cid burst into laughter. He slapped his thigh and pointed at Vanessa.

"Y'know what, I like you!" he said. "I still don't trust you, but I like you!" Vanessa smirked.

"Fair enough," she said. Aerith and Yuffie sighed with relief. "Now, about Sora…?"

"Oh! Of course!" said Aerith. "I just made some tea, would you like some?" Vanessa nodded and took a seat.

"Appreciate it," she said.

"So, you know Sora?" asked Yuffie as Aerith went to fetch the tea. Vanessa leaned back in her chair and sighed.

"Well…" she said. "…it's kinda hard to explain. I don't know Sora per se, but I met him once."

"What do you want with him?" Yuffie asked.

"To see him," said Vanessa. "I promised a friend of his that I'd watch over him." Aerith came back with the tea.

"Here you go," she said. Vanessa sat up and graciously accepted it. "So you're looking for Sora?"

"Yeah," said Vanessa. She took a sip of the chamomile drink. "He come by here yet?"

"No," said Aerith. "To be perfectly honest, we haven't even remembered Sora until recently. How did you know to look for us?" Vanessa shrugged.

"Just a hunch," she said. "There's no one else to ask here; I don't mean to be rude but, this place is like a freaking ghost dump." Aerith smiled sadly.

"With all the Heartless roaming about, most of the people took to staying indoors," she explained. Yuffie grinned.

"Yeah, but not us!" she boasted. "We've been fighting to whip Hollow Bastion back into shape for a while now!" Vanessa nodded.

"Grabbing the Heartless by the balls, I like that approach," she joked. Cid laughed out loud while Aerith blushed. Yuffie just grinned toothily.

"I like your style Vanessa!" she said. "I noticed that you were fighting with a Keyblade." Vanessa nodded.

"Yeah," she said. She summoned it for her to see.

"Just like Sora…" mused Aerith. "…have you ever seen him?"

"A week ago," said Vanessa. "He looked like he was doing alright."

"And Donald and Goofy, were they ok too?" asked Yuffie. Vanessa nodded as she took another sip of her tea.

"Right as rain," she said. She yawned. "Phew, excuse me! I've been traveling all day to get here."

"Where are you coming from?" asked Aerith.

"A world called Twilight Town," said Vanessa. She shook her head. "But that's not important. Thanks for your help." She stood to her feet. "Sorry to bother you." Aerith stood as well.

"It was no bother, really," she said. "You should stay." Vanessa politely waved her off.

"Nah…" she declined. "…I should be going. I got dozens of places to look; I gotta get a move on. Don't wanna miss him. See you later Aerith, Yuffie…" She gave a mock-salute to Cid. "…crotchety old bastard." Cid returned the salute.

"Same to you ya twerp!" he said. Just as Vanessa was walking out the door, a tall man with long brunette hair and steely eyes came inside. She collided into his chest and fell backwards. Aerith rushed to her side.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Vanessa offered a small smile to her before looking up at her assailant.

"Leon!" exclaimed Yuffie. "You're back!" Leon folded his muscular arms.

"Yeah," he said. He looked down at Vanessa. "Who's she?"

"This is Vanessa," explained Aerith. "She's a friend of Sora." Leon furrowed his brows.

"Is that right?" he asked. Vanessa climbed to her feet.

"A friend of Sora who _really_ has to go," she said. She grinned at and skirted around Leon. "If you ever see him, don't tell him I came by; I wanna surprise him." When she arrived outside, Vanessa sighed.

"Well, _that_ was a dead-end…" she complained. She noticed a trio of Nobodies chase away a trio of Soldiers. She furrowed her brows.

"Or…not…" she mused. "Sora's bound to come by here; I'll just have to wait 'til then, won't I?" One of the Nobodies noticed her.

"In the mean time…" she said as it swiveled towards her. She pulled up her hood and ran in the opposite direction. "…gotta get the hell outta dodge."


	6. Meltdown

Author's Note: Wazzup? I've begun to noticed that you guys seem to dislike Zero's character, to which I feel inclined to say: Huzzah! It's working! Lol, but seriously, I wrote her character that way so that she could be hated, so to all you Zero-_fans_ out there, if you hated her then, check this shit out son! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ich besitze nicht Kingdom Hearts. And if you haven't figured it out by now, you're ass-retarded. Yes I went there, sue me.

Chapter 6: Meltdown

"And you are certain of this?" asked Saïx.

"Yes my liege," a Dusk conveyed to him. "She was spotted in the world of Hollow Bastion." Saïx nodded.

"I see," he said. "You're dismissed." The Dusk swiveled away. Saïx turned to the window and smirked.

"You can run…" he said softly. "…oh yes can you run, but you can _never_ hide…" He looked up at Kingdom Hearts. "…Vanessa."

As Number Zero roamed the blanched halls of the Castle That Never Was, she noticed a familiar comrade, Demyx, pacing them. He seemed extremely worried and was quietly muttering to himself. Curious, Zero approached him.

"Number IX?" she called. Demyx jumped at the sound of his name.

"What?" he cried out. He sighed with relief when he noticed who it was. He grinned. "Oh, Zero! Phew, don't sneak up on me like that; you almost gave me a heart-attack!"

"That would've been impossible…" she deadpanned. "…you don't have a heart." Demyx smiled sheepishly.

"Oh yeah…" he admitted. "…right. So, what can I do for you?"

"Why were you pacing just now?" Zero inquired. "You seemed…preoccupied." Demyx sighed.

"Well, I guess I've been pretty nervous about this upcoming mission," he revealed. "I have to intercept Sora at the Olympus Coliseum." Zero furrowed her brows.

"What about that has you so jittery?" she asked.

"Oh you know; I'm not exactly cut out for combat," said Demyx. "And I hear Sora's pretty tough. I mean, he took down almost half of our number close to a year ago; a guy like that could've only gotten stronger. And you, you're _cloned_ from the guy and look how strong you are!" Zero folded her arms.

"You seem very cowardly to me," she said evenly. Demyx flinched.

"Oh why'd you have to go say that for?" he asked. "That wasn't very nice." Zero shook her head.

"You _should_ worry…" she said. "…you're _terrible_ for the job. Why would they even _think_ to send you?" She smirked. "Perhaps they're trying to get rid of you; you seem like dead weight to me." Demyx's eyes widened with astonishment.

"H-Hey!" he cried. "How dare you! You're being very rude Number Zero! You're not even _real_; I shouldn't have to take that from you!" Zero shook her head once more.

"Forgive me," she said. "Good luck on your mission." She walked pass Demyx.

"Hey!" he called out to her. Zero stopped walking. "Why are you being so mean to me Zero? I tried to be nice to you, haven't I?" Zero said nothing, only walked away. When she rounded a corner, she noticed Axel leaning against the wall. She paid him no mind and walked past him.

"That was kinda harsh you know," he said. "Even for a Nobody." Zero stopped.

"Who cares?" she asked. "Only the strong get by in this world; the weak get left in the dust. Number IX is weak; we all know that. Why shouldn't I give rise to that fact? Did I hurt his _feelings_?" Axel smirked.

"As a matter of fact, you did," he said. "Demyx has the most feelings out of all of us. Sure, he's only pretending to feel, though I never understood _why_, but hey? To each his own right?" Zero shook her head.

"It's pathetic," she said. "Feelings are worthless; pretending to have them is just plain _ridiculous_." Axel chuckled.

"Tell that to him," he said. He pulled away from the wall to join Zero's side. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not saying you should entertain his feelings, I'm just saying that maybe you might wanna be a little softer to the poor guy. After all, he's the most misunderstood person in this entire Organization."

"Your heart's bleeding all over my shoes," said Zero blankly. Axel laughed.

"You're one tough cookie, y'know that?" he observed. Zero looked at the ground.

"And you're annoying," she said. She shrugged Axel's hand off her shoulder. "Good day Number VIII." She disappeared to her room. She crawled onto her bed and picked up a book. She sighed as she opened up to her bookmarked page and continued to read. After a couple of pages, she noticed a sight in her peripheral vision. She looked up to see an image of Vanessa leaning on the wall in the mirror. Her arms were folded, and she had a saddened expression on her face. Zero warily watched as a few tears dropped from Vanessa's imaginary face. She slid onto the ground and buried her face in her knees. Zero furrowed her brows.

"Why are you in my room?" she asked the image. It said nothing, only cried. "Why are you in my room?" Still no reply. Zero jumped to her feet.

"Why are you in my room?" she insisted once more. The image finally looked up. It eyed Zero with confusion.

"_Your_ room?" it asked. "This room is mine." Zero clenched her fists.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. "This room is _mine_!" The fake Vanessa stood to her feet and approached her side of the mirror.

"You don't exist…" she said. "…and I never left, so this room is still mine." Zero gritted her teeth.

"You left a long time ago!" she cried. Vanessa shook her head.

"No," she said. "I'm still here. I live on in you, because you're me." Zero grabbed her book.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "You're lying, shut up!" Vanessa smirked.

"Face it…" she said. "…you're not you. There's no such thing as 'Number Zero'. She doesn't exist. _You_ don't exist. You're only an extension of me, a clone of _me_." Zero flung the book at the mirror with all her might. It shattered into large pieces. Zero breathed heavily; her body trembled with rage. She sat on her bed and buried her face in her hands.

"She's a liar, she's lying…" she said to herself. "…I _am_ real, I am. She's a liar, a dirty liar. I'm not her; I have my own existence." Suddenly, Axel burst into her room.

"I heard a crash, are you ok?" he asked. He noticed the totaled mirror. "Whoa! You and breakables just don't mix huh?" Zero exhaled loudly.

"She wouldn't leave me alone…" she muttered. "…she just won't go away." Axel raised his eyebrow.

"Who won't leave you alone?" he asked. "Need to talk about it?" Zero shook her head.

"I'm fine…" she mumbled.

"You just wrecked you're mirror…" said Axel. "…you're _not_ fine."

"I said I'm _fine_…" she strained through clenched teeth.

"Look Vanessa, your anger's getting out of hand," said Axel. "Maybe you should…"

"What did you call me?" Zero interrupted.

"Zero, that's your name isn't it?" Axel replied. Zero stood to her feet.

"No…" she breathed. "…you didn't call me that. You called me Vanessa." Axel furrowed his brows.

"I did?" he said. He rubbed the back of his head. "Must've slipped off my tongue. It's not my fault you look so much like her." Zero glared harshly at Axel.

"But I'm _not_ her!" she yelled furiously. "Don't call me that! That's not my name! Don't call me that, I'm not her!" Axel flinched.

"Whoa whoa, I'm sorry ok?" he apologized hurriedly. "Just take it down a thousand!" Zero summoned her Keyblade. The red jewel glowed as brightly as the fury in her eyes.

"No!" she screamed. "I'm tired of being likened to her! I am my own person!"

"Put your weapon down Number Zero," he commanded. "You don't want to fight me; it won't end well for you. Even if you _do_ beat me, Xemnas will have you turned into a Dusk so fast, your head'll spin." Zero relaxed her body. "That's it, just calm down." She lowered her weapon. Suddenly, a surge of rage took over her. With a loud cry, she tossed her Keyblade straight at Axel. He managed to dodge the incoming weapon. The Keyblade tore through the wall and skidded into the hall. Axel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Feel better _now_?" he asked. Zero slumped to her hands and knees.

"What…did I just do…?" she whispered. She stared at the gaping hole in the wall. "The Superior will have me eliminated for sure…" Axel smirked.

"Don't worry about that, I'll cover for you," he said. Zero looked up at him with confusion.

"But why?" she asked. "I tried to _kill_ you; why would you ever want to protect me?" Axel helped Zero to her feet.

"Hey, what are friends for?" he replied.


	7. Just Doing My Job

Author's Note: It's funny how I got a million reviews at the same time for that last chapter. If that's the case, I outta bash Demyx more often! *takes cover for the backlash I'm about to receive*. For putting up with such a grotesque anti-Demyx scene, here's a nice, wholesome, non-Demyx-hating chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No Demyxs were harmed during the creation of this chapter. Also, I do not own Kingdom Hearts (yay English!).

Chapter 7: Just Doing My Job

Vanessa yawned and sat on the ground up against the side of a building. She pulled out a candy bar from her jacket's pocket and took a large bite.

"Damn Dusks…" she muttered. "…now the Organization knows I'm out there." She shrugged. "Oh well, can't be helped now." She yawned again.

"Man…" she said. "…I'm freaking _tired_! When was the last time I got an adequate amount of _sleep_?" Vanessa shook her head.

"I should've stayed with Aerith and the rest of them…" she thought. "…at least they were willing to put me up for the night. Then again, I couldn't risk Sora blindsiding me. He knows I know where Riku is; I can't let him rush me for the information. If I crack under the pressure…" Vanessa refused to complete the thought.

"I wonder how Naminé's doing?" she wondered instead. "How is she? Where'd she go? And what did she mean I wouldn't recognize her next time I saw her?" Vanessa sighed. "I'll give myself a freaking headache trying to answer _that_ one…" She finished her bar and stuffed the wrapper in her pocket. She leaned her head against the brick wall and closed her eyes.

"I wonder what Riku's doing…" she said softly. "…is he ok? He better be ok. I hope he didn't take me leaving him the wrong way…" Vanessa chuckled. "There you go Nessa, giving yourself too much standing. Riku'll be just _fine_ without you; he was alone before, he can be alone again…" After that thought, she drifted off into a deep slumber.

When she woke up however long later, the sun was still out. Vanessa groaned and clambered to her feet.

"How long've I been asleep?" she asked the air. "I couldn't've been out all night, could I?" She checked her wrist, only to remember she did not have a watch.

"Of course…" she muttered. She stretched her body and swayed her braids against her face.

"These damn things are getting annoying…" she mused. "…as soon as all of this is over, I'm taking them out and getting my hair straightened; I'm about due for a perm anyway." She dug around her pocket and found a rubber band. She grinned.

"Roxas sure kept a lot of crap in his pockets," she joked as she tied her hair back. Her face fell. "Roxas…" She could only mope for all of two seconds before a voice interrupted her. She could not make out the words, but she could recognize the voice. Vanessa cautiously peered out from behind her building. She gasped; as she suspected, Yuffie was the origin of the voice. But that did not surprise her. What _did_ surprise her, however, were the three standing near her.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy!" Vanessa exclaimed in a whisper. She grinned and did a tiny victory dance. "Yes! My luck knows no bounds!" She noticed Sora and his troupe run off with Yuffie, so with as much stealth as she could muster, she followed them. Her covert ops brought her back to the house she had just left yesterday. She hid underneath the window and tried to catch voices, but she could barely hear anything coherent.

"What? You _forgot_ about us?" she could hear Sora exclaim. Vanessa snickered.

"You can thank Naminé for that one dude," she said to herself. Suddenly, the window was opened. Vanessa cringed and pressed herself firmly against the wall.

"'K, window's open," said Yuffie.

"Good," said Cid. "It was getting pretty damn stuffy in here!" Vanessa shook her head. "That reminds me, some girl came by looking for ya." Vanessa's face fell.

"Son of a…!" she whispered. "Old bastard!"

"A girl?" asked Sora. He gasped. "Was it Kairi?"

"No, this girl's name was Vanessa," said Yuffie. "She claimed to know you."

"Vanessa!" exclaimed Donald. "That's the girl who knows Riku!"

"A friend whose name starts with the letter 'R'," corrected Goofy.

"How long ago did she come by?" asked Sora.

"Yesterday afternoon," said Aerith. "I tried to get her to stay, but she insisted on finding you."

"Do ya know if she's still here?' asked Goofy.

"I doubt it," said Cid. "That damn girl beat it outta here like her ass was on fire!"

"She did seem like she was in a hurry," said Yuffie. "Most likely she's gone." Sora sighed.

"Oh…" he said with disappointment. Vanessa sighed.

"At least there's no way they can point out my direction," she mused. "To them, I'm _long_ gone." She crept away from the window. "Now to make my grand escape!" Just as she stood to her feet, a group of Soldiers appeared. Vanessa sighed.

"Of course…" she muttered bitterly. She summoned her Keyblade. "You bastards really know when to come at a bad time!" She attacked and destroyed the pests. Of course, the commotion drew attention.

"You!" called Sora. Vanessa defeated the last Soldier and turned to face him.

"A Keyblade!" exclaimed Donald, noticing Vanessa's weapon. She leaned against it.

"We meet again," she said. "Sora, Donald, Goofy; you guys are just a glowing bill of health as always." Sora summoned his Keyblade and pulled into an offensive stance.

"You know where Riku is!" he accused.

"Sora!" said Goofy. "She didn't say that remember!"

"But, who else could she have meant?" he argued. Vanessa disappeared her weapon and folded her arms.

"Look Sora, I don't wanna fight you, so put your weapon away," she said. "I'd sooner run away than fight you." Sora obeyed.

"Back at Twilight Town…" he said. "…you said you were a friend of a friend whose name began with the letter 'R'. You meant Riku, right?" Vanessa sighed.

"Actually Sora, you're technically wrong," she said. "I was really talking about someone else."

"See, I told ya she was probably talking about someone else!" said Goofy. Donald rolled his eyes.

"Lucky guess…" he muttered. He turned his attention to Vanessa. "But if you're not talking about Riku, who _are_ you talking about?" Vanessa looked up at the sky.

"It doesn't matter anymore," she said. She looked back down to Sora. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Huh?" said Sora. "What do you mean, 'make sure I'm alright'?" Vanessa smiled.

"Kairi's really worried about you Sora," she said. The Keyblade master gasped.

"Kairi!" he exclaimed. "You know Kairi?"

"I met her once," Vanessa admitted. "She asked me to keep an eye on you, to make sure you came home safe and sound."

"She asked you to do that?" Sora asked. Vanessa laughed.

"I know right? What a weird request from a total stranger, but hey? The girl's desperate," she said. She placed her hands on her hips. "But anyway, Kairi's a nice girl and I'm not one to break promises so…" She tossed a warning finger at Sora. "…you better be taking good care of yourself mister! If you get so much a _scratch_ on you, I'll be pretty damn mad, and believe me, I'm not fun to be with when I'm pretty damn mad!" Sora faltered.

"Uh, right," he said. "Is, uh, Kairi ok?" Vanessa nodded.

"Kairi's peachy," she said. "She just wants you home." Sora looked down.

"I know…" he admitted. "…but I have to find Riku first…" He looked back up with determination in his eyes. "I'm not going back home until I found him!" Vanessa smiled.

"He was right, you're one sweet guy," she said. She sighed. "Sora, Riku's fine. Believe me, he's fine."

"You know where he is?" asked Sora. Vanessa hesitated.

"No," she said finally. "I don't. Last time I saw him was a couple of days ago. I left him to watch you."

"A-ha!" exclaimed Donald. "You _do_ know Riku! I knew it, I knew it, I _knew_ it!" Vanessa gasped and covered her mouth.

"N-No! I didn't say that! That's not what I meant!" she said hurriedly, trying, miserably, to save face.

"We can tell you're fibbing!" accused Goofy. Vanessa bent over with exasperation.

"Oh god dammit…" she muttered. "I already said too much; I really can't stay." She opened a dark portal.

"Wait!" cried Sora. "Please, just tell me if Riku's ok." Vanessa sighed again.

"Riku's fine," she said. "And I'm not lying when I say I don't know where he is. But you have to understand, even if I _did_ know, I couldn't tell you."

"But why?" asked Donald. Vanessa shook her head.

"He doesn't want me to," she relented. "I'm sorry."

"Just one more question, please," Sora requested. "Why do you have the Keyblade?" Vanessa shook her head once more.

"I have no idea," she said. "In fact, I was kinda hoping _you_ could tell me. You're the Keyblade _master_ after all, aren't you?" Sora folded his arms.

"Well yeah, but…" he said. Vanessa waved him off.

"Forget it," she said. "Good luck on your adventure. Kick some ass Roxas."

"Huh? Roxas?" said Goofy. "Who's that?" Vanessa's eyes widened.

"Uh oh!" she said. "Pay no attention to that! Just a slip of the tongue!" She disappeared into the Corridor of Darkness. Sora folded his arms.

"That was weird…" he mused.

"Do you think everything she said was true Sora?" asked Donald.

"_I_ sure think so," said Goofy. "She looked pretty sincere to me!"

"Maybe…" said Sora. "…but who exactly _is_ she?"

"Well, maybe she's your guardian angel!" suggested Goofy. Sora flinched.

"What?" he asked. He shook his head. "No way!"

"Maybe," said Goofy. "What do you think Donald?" Donald folded his arms pensively.

"Hmmm… Well, she knows Riku and Kairi…" he said, counting the points on his fingers.

"Yeah," agreed Goofy.

"…she has a Keyblade…" Donald continued.

"Uh-huh," said Sora.

"…she said she's watching over you…" Donald recounted. The others nodded. "…_and_ she knew about you before we knew her so…she probably _is_ your guardian angel!" Sora looked uncertainly up at the sky.

"My…guardian angel?" he wondered. Meanwhile, from her spot behind a wall, Vanessa snickered to herself and shook her head.

"Sweet…" she said. "…but none to bright."


	8. Use or Be Used

Author's Note: Another Zero chapter, dun dun dun! I know how much you guys love her, lol. But anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts dammit!

Chapter 8: Use or Be Used

Zero drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair, actually, on the arm of Number IV's former chair. She sighed as she awaited the start of the meeting. While she waited, she thought of Sora. Recently, the entire Organization intercepted him at Hollow Bastion to psyche him out. Zero was allowed to come and see the face of the boy she was technically created from.

"He looked so angry," she mused. She sighed and leaned back into the chair. She rubbed her fingers along the front of the arm. "IV" was printed there in raised font on the smooth marble. From time to time, Zero wondered if she should thank or despise the man whose methods bought her into existence. She sometimes wondered what he might have been like. A trip to the Proof of Existence showed that his epithet was the Chilly Academic, and that his element was ice. Did that make him a cold-hearted man?

"Maybe I'll ask Axel…" thought Number Zero. She sighed once more. Of course, she was punished for further damaging the castle, but Axel, as promised, took most of the blame. He told everyone that it was his fault; that he riled her up in an attempt to get her in trouble.

"Why would he do that?" Zero wondered. "It makes no sense. Is he really…my friend?" Before she could contemplate further on this puzzling thought, the Superior appeared to begin the meeting.

"It has come to my attention that Vanessa has been spotted in Hollow Bastion," he said. "It has been confirmed that she is aiding Sora against us. I will need one of you to find her and to destroy her. Axel?"

"Huh? Me?" he asked. He smirked. "Well, I'm normally not one to complain about getting my hands dirty, and I'm flattered to be asked to do such an important mission, but I really think Number Zero should take this one." Zero flinched.

"Zero?" asked Xigbar. He laughed. "That's an odd choice!"

"Actually, I do believe that's a good idea," said Luxord. "If Zero can destroy her entire room with just a short burst of rage, Vanessa will have no chance."

"I agree," said Saïx. "Zero would be the better choice, considering Axel's _history_ with Vanessa." Axel chuckled.

"My history huh?" he said. "That was low Saïx, even for you." Zero raised her hand.

"If I may speak Superior?" she asked. Xemnas nodded.

"You may," he said.

"With all due respect, there is no one here who wants Vanessa destroyed more than I," said Zero. "I want to have this mission. I guarantee that she will not live to see her next nightfall."

"I see," said Xemnas. "Very well. The mission is yours. Do not fail me Number Zero." He turned his attention to the remaining members. "That was all for now. This meeting is adjourned." While everyone else disappeared, Zero stayed behind. A twisted grin spread across her face.

"Only a matter of time," she muttered. Her grin broadened. "Finally, revenge will be mine." She disappeared to her room. On her bed, she noticed a folded piece of paper. She opened it.

"Zero, we need to talk. You know where to meet me," the paper read. Zero sighed and disappeared once more. When she reappeared, she was atop the clock tower. As she suspected, Axel was there sitting in his usual spot on the ledge.

"You made it," he said. Zero took a seat next to him. "To be honest, I didn't think you'd show."

"What made you think that?" Zero asked. Axel shrugged.

"I dunno," he said. He attempted to hand her a bar of ice cream. Zero gave him a look in return.

"I don't like it, remember?" she said. "For someone who always wants others to remember things, you can hardly remember things yourself." Axel laughed.

"Ouch!" he joked. "I know you don't like it, but take it anyway. Think of it as a gesture of friendship." Zero sighed again and reached out to take the treat. She only pretended to have a hold on it, so when Axel let it go, it fell to the ground below.

"Oops," she deadpanned. Axel shook his head.

"Was that necessary?" he asked.

"You shouldn't have wasted your munny," countered Zero. Axel sighed.

"Kindness is just lost on you, isn't it?" he asked. Zero frowned.

"If you don't like the way I receive your kindness, stop being kind to me," she said. "Obviously I don't deserve it."

"You could at least pretend."

"Why would I do that?"

"To make others feel better."

"And why should I do _that_? Why should I want someone else feel when I can not, much less _better_?"

"It's not like that…"

"_Feels _that way…"

"What's your problem Zero?"

"I don't have a problem. What's yours?" Axel sighed.

"Forget it…" he mumbled. "I wanted to talk to you because I need you to help me do something." Zero furrowed her brows.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's something crazy, something you would normally say no to," said Axel.

"What makes this case _ab_normal?" Zero inquired. Axel smirked.

"I did two big favors for you," he countered. "Two things I really did _not_ have to do. Two things I could _easily_ reverse." Zero looked at Axel.

"Are you _blackmailing_ me?" she asked.

"It doesn't have to be," said Axel. "So what do you say? Will you help me out?" Zero glared at him.

"I don't have much of a _choice_, do I?" she said bitterly. Axel laughed.

"Nope, not really," he admitted. "Now, we're in this together. You watch my back, and I'll watch yours, got it memorized?"

"What are you planning to do?"

"I want my friend back."

"Your friend? You mean Roxas?"

"Yes."

"I don't understand."

"He's lost to Sora, and I don't think that's right."

"But there's nothing to be done about that."

"Do you know how a Nobody is created Zero?"

"No."

"When a strong heart falls into Darkness, the body and soul left behind takes on a will of its own, becoming a Nobody."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Don't you see? I'm going to use Sora to get Roxas back."

"How?"

"Simple; turn him into a Heartless."

"That's stupid."

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"How are we supposed to turn Sora into a Heartless? From all I've heard, his heart is too strong. Your plan sounds too desperate to work."

"Maybe I _am_ desperate."

"Is Roxas _that_ important to you? He betrayed the Organization Axel, and you're about to do the same. As far as I'm concerned, he betrayed you too."

"He did _not_ betray me. Vanessa tricked him."

"I don't doubt that, I really don't. But you have to let him go."

"I never expected you to understand…"

"That's good, because I don't."

"…but you don't have to understand. All you have to do is help."

"You're asking me to betray the Organization; I can't do that."

"Why? You don't care for anyone here. Why are you so loyal to people who are just using you?" Vanessa looked down at her hands.

"You're using me too," she accused. Axel's eyes wavered.

"Zero…" he said.

"In fact, that's all I've been to all of you: a tool to be used," she said resentfully "That's why I don't care for others' feelings Axel, because no one cares for mine." She stood to her feet. "And to think I had the slightest bit of hope that you were telling the truth when you said you were my friend." Axel stood as well.

"Zero, wait," he said. "I'm sorry." Zero shook her head.

"Don't be, I'm not angry with you," she said. "I expected as much. That's just the way things work I guess: use or be used. All we can do is deal with it." She faded into the Darkness. "Good luck with your plans Number VIII. As a return favor, I will tell no one of your treason."


	9. Lost Wings

Author's Note: Hello again everyone! Thank you so much for the support from all my old fans; I really appreciate it! Like wise, thank for the support from my _new_ fans as well, it is you who make me feel guilty and are inspiring me to finish the actual story!

Before we get started, I just wanted to shed some light on the most complex character of my story, Number Zero. She comes off as an emotionless, cold-hearted bitch, because she _is_ an emotionless, cold-hearted bitch, like Sephiroth to put it in perspective. However, like Sephiroth, conditioning from her environment caused her to be that way. Imagine that you were forced to live a life that you don't want to live, only to be judged every waking moment of your life for every little thing you do. Well, that's pretty much Zero's entire life in a nutshell. What's even more tragic is that she isn't real, a mere creation, and she _knows_ this. All in all, her life's kinda fucked. But enough about that! On with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, but I _do_ own Vanessa and Number Zero (the character, not the number).

Chapter 9: Lost Wings

"Riku!" Vanessa called as she entered the Corridor of Darkness. "Riku! Where the heck are you?" Suddenly, he appeared.

"Vanessa," he said, walking up to her. "You've come back." Vanessa grinned.

"Well _duh_!" she teased. "Course I came back! I told you I would!" She poked his chest. "You didn't believe me didn't you?"

"I believed you," said Riku. Vanessa shrugged.

"Alright," she said. "I guess I'll believe you."

"Did you find him?' asked Riku.

"Yeah, I found him," Vanessa replied. She chuckled. "He's so funny; he thinks I'm his guardian angel now!" Riku slightly tilted his head in confusion.

"Guardian angel?" he repeated. "Why does he think that?"

"Hey, he's _your_ friend," said Vanessa. "You know his bizarre thought process way better than I. But anyway, where to?" Riku was about to reply, but instead, he grabbed Vanessa's arm and shrouded them in Darkness. Up ahead, Axel appeared in the dark corridor.

"Ok Axel, you can do this…" he muttered to himself. "…just grab her, and move on." He opened a portal and disappeared through. Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"What was he talking about?" she asked. "Who's he gonna grab?"

"I don't know," said Riku. Vanessa thought for a moment.

"I'm gonna follow him," she said. Riku flinched.

"What? Vanessa, are you sure?" he asked. "It could be too danger….!" It was too late; Vanessa was already gone. The portal disappeared as soon as she stepped through. Riku sighed.

"I hope you know what you're doing…" he said softly. Meanwhile, the portal that Vanessa hijacked led her to Destiny Island. When she stepped out, she bumped directly into Axel and fell on her behind.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed. "What's the big i…!" She stopped when she noticed Kairi. "Kairi!" Axel frowned.

"Vanessa," he said sourly. "Long time no see." She climbed to her feet.

"What? Not happy to see me _old_ _buddy_?" she jeered. "What are you doing here?" She glanced at Kairi. Her eyes widened with realization. She summoned her Keyblade. "You bastard! You're planning to kidnap Kairi, aren't you?" Axel smirked.

"When you put it that way, you make it sound so harsh," he said. Vanessa pushed past him and grabbed Kairi.

"Come on!" she commanded as she led the girl through an open portal. Inside the dark corridor, she noticed Riku through the corner of her eye. She winked at him before pushing Kairi through yet another portal.

"Axel tried to kidnap Kairi, I'll be right back!" she said hurriedly before disappearing as well. When she arrived, Kairi was on the ground. Vanessa knelt beside her.

"You ok?" she asked. Kairi groaned and sat up.

"Yeah…" she said. "…I'm fine." She smiled. "Thank you." Vanessa nodded.

"No prob," she said. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry I was so rough with you; I had to get you to safety quickly. That guy's really dangerous; I didn't wanna stick around to find out what he might've done. Plus, I didn't wanna leave you in the Darkness too long; it would've overtaken you." Kairi nodded.

"It's ok, I understand," she said. She stood to her feet and helped Vanessa up. She looked around. "Where am I?"

"Twilight Town," Vanessa replied. "Come on, I got friends here you can stay with." Kairi followed her through the streets until they arrived in the back alley. Vanessa pulled back the curtain to reveal her friends. They stared at her in disbelief.

"Yo!" said Vanessa. "Why y'all looking at me like that? You forgot about me already?"

"Vanessa!" cried Olette, jumping to her feet. "You're ok!" She rushed up to Vanessa and hugged her tightly.

"Ok, ok! Enough love!" cried Vanessa as Olette crushed her with her bear-hug. "You remembered; I get it!" She pulled away.

"What happened to you?" asked Hayner. "We haven't seen you for months now! Are you ok? Where'd that guy take you?"

"It's a long _long_ story," said Vanessa. "And I'm kinda strapped for time so..." She placed her hand on Kairi's shoulder. "...in the mean time, this is my friend Kairi. Kairi, this is Hayner, Pence, and Olette." The four exchanged their hellos. "Kairi needs a place to chill for a bit, can she stay here?"

"Of course!" said Pence. "Right Hayner?"

"Right," he agreed. Vanessa nodded.

"Thanks guys," she said. "I owe you one. Take care of yourself Kairi." She turned to leave.

"Wait!" Kairi called. "What about you? Where are you going?" Vanessa turned back and smiled.

"I gotta take care of something right quick; I'll be back," she said.

"Will you be ok?" asked Kairi. Vanessa nodded.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'll be fine." She returned to the Corridor of Darkness and rejoined Riku's side.

"Kairi…" he said. "…is she ok?"

"She's safe, don't worry," said Vanessa. Riku sighed with relief.

"Thank you," he said. "I can't thank you enough." Vanessa smiled.

"No need," she said. "All in a day's work." She folded her arms. "But Axel's as crafty as a fox, and I didn't exactly hide her in a secluded place. I'm worried he might find her."

"What will you do?" Riku asked. Vanessa thought for a moment.

"I guess I'll hang around Twilight Town, you know, just to be safe," she concluded. Riku nodded.

"I have some things to do elsewhere," he said. "Will you be ok on your own?" Vanessa nodded as well.

"Yeah," she said. "You be careful ya hear?"

"I will," said Riku. "You too." He bent over and planted a soft kiss on Vanessa's forehead. Her skin marooned as a result. She placed her hand over the spot.

"What was that for?" she asked sheepishly.

"You did it first," replied Riku before disappearing. Vanessa stood there in shock for a good three minutes. The feeling on her forehead still lingered. She smiled blissfully.

"He kissed me!" she whispered excitedly. She frowned. "Oh god, I'm acting like a giddy schoolgirl!" She shook the thought from her head. "No time to think about that; I got stuff to do." She disappeared back to Twilight Town's back alley. When she arrived, she saw the entrance to her friends' secret spot being blocked off by a couple of Dusks. She furrowed her brows.

"What the…?" she whispered. A scream caused her to jump. "Oh I _know_ my luck ain't _that_ bad!"

"No! Let me go!" she could hear Kairi cry. Vanessa summoned her Keyblade and sprang into action. She quickly dispatched the Dusks in her way and burst inside to find Axel dragging Kairi through a portal.

"Vanessa!" cried Olette. Wasting no time, Vanessa grabbed Kairi's free hand. Axel growled at her.

"Let go!" he shouted.

"Hell no! _You_ let go!" Vanessa shouted back. Kairi struggled to stand as she became the rope in a game of tug-of-war. Because she always underestimated Axel's strength, the red-haired Nobody caught Vanessa off guard and pulled both her and Kairi into the portal. Vanessa fell onto the ground.

"God dammit…" she groaned. She climbed to her feet and glared at Axel. "You prick! What are you trying to do?" Axel smirked as he held the struggling Kairi close to his body.

"I'm trying to do the exact opposite of what you did," he sneered. "Unlike you, I'm trying to bring Roxas _back_." Vanessa faltered.

"A-Axel…" she said. Her face hardened. "And how's kidnapping a defenseless girl supposed to help?" Kairi made a face despite the situation. "Uh, no offense."

"I'm going to use her to turn Sora into a Heartless," Axel revealed. "Plain and simple." Vanessa gasped.

"You…you wouldn't!" she shouted. "Axel, are you out of your god damn mind?"

"What? I actually think my plan's pretty good," he teased.

"But it ends here," said a familiar voice. Axel and Vanessa flinched as Saïx appeared to them. "Axel, give me the girl."

"S-Saïx!" cried Vanessa. She summoned her Keyblade once more. "No way! The only one taking her is me!" Saïx smirked.

"Vanessa, what a _pleasant_ surprise," he said. "You look well." Vanessa gritted her teeth.

"Kiss my ass!" she shouted. Saïx summoned his claymore.

"I'd rather not," he deadpanned. He slammed down his weapon, creating a shockwave that threw everyone off their feet. Vanessa groaned and rolled over on her stomach. She watched Saïx grab Kairi by the arm and open a portal.

"I'm very disappointed in you Axel," he said. "To think you'd stoop this low; you most certainly _have_ changed." He pulled Kairi through.

"Vanessa!" she cried. Vanessa scrambled to her feet and tried to catch them, but it was too late. They were gone.

"Kairi!" Vanessa shouted. She clutched her head in hopelessness. "Crap! Crap crap crap!" She turned to Axel and yanked him to his knees by his collar. Anger danced in her eyes.

"What the hell were you trying to prove?" she shouted. "Now Kairi's _gone_! Are you happy now? You both ruined your chance of your retard plan of ever having a hope of working _and_ you endangered one of my friends! Good going you stupid mother-fu…!"

"Shut up!" interrupted Axel. "Ok, just shut up!" He pushed Vanessa away and stood to his feet. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for you!" Vanessa flinched.

"What the hell are talking about?" she demanded.

"If it weren't for you, Roxas would still be here!" Axel accused. "And I wouldn't have to be doing all this stuff to get him back!"

"It's not my fault!" cried Vanessa.

"Yes it is!" countered Axel. "Face it Vanessa, if you hadn't convinced him to escape, he might still be here!"

"I didn't convince him to escape; that was all _his_ idea!"

"You're a liar!"

"No, _you're_ a liar! And maybe if you weren't such a liar, Roxas would've stayed!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what he told me the day before we escaped? The day after I almost _died_? He said that there was nothing left for him at the castle, and when I asked about you, he said all but a big 'screw you'!" Axel clenched his fists.

"I _would_ attack you…" he said. "…but that's Zero's job." Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"What the hell is _Zero_?" she asked. "What're you going on about?" Axel smirked as he faded away.

"You'll find out soon enough," he said. When he was gone, Vanessa disappeared her Keyblade and swore obscenities into the air. When she was done, she sat on the ground and held her head.

"Riku's never gonna talk to me again…" she muttered despondently.


	10. Embitterment

Author's Note: Hey y'all, me again! I've noticed that you guys are seriously lacking in the review department....yeah, I think we know what I'm getting at. I also noticed that you guys seem to be understanding Zero more, which is good! Now I _totally_ get to make your apologies moot! Hehehe, I'm such an evil author! Anyways, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, however I do own YOUR SOULS! Or at least, a soul I.O.U...

Chapter 10: Embitterment

Kairi struggled with the bars of her caged prison. She tried everything, from pushing against them, to pulling them, but of course, nothing worked. She gave up and sat on the ground, exhausted from her attempts.

"How pathetic," said a voice. Kairi gasped and jumped to her feet. Zero appeared in front of the bars.

"Wh-Who are you?" Kairi asked.

"Number Zero," Zero replied. "You must be the girl Axel tried to kidnap."

"What do you want from me?" Kairi demanded.

"I personally want nothing from you," Zero replied. "However, Axel wanted you to bring back that traitor. I tried to warn him that his plan was stupid, but he's so stubborn. He got what he rightly deserved."

"I don't understand…" said Kairi. "…where am I? What's going on?"

"You're in the Castle That Never Was…" explained Zero. "…the stronghold of Organization XIII. Well, it _was_ Organization XIII until Sora destroyed a good number of our members." Kairi gasped.

"Sora!" she cried. "Where is he?" Zero shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "But I'm about to accompany one of my comrades in destroying him." Kairi flinched.

"What?" she cried. "No! Don't!" Zero shook her head.

"I don't think you'll have to worry," she said. "The one they're sending is so incompetent that he'll surely screw it up. Sora will be fine. If anything, he'll most likely eliminate his opponent. And I won't interfere."

"Why?" Kairi found herself asking. "Aren't you supposed to help if your comrade falls into trouble?" Zero shook her head again.

"He doesn't deserve my help," she said. "Besides, it's his mission, not mine. My business is not with Sora, but with someone else."

"Who?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Riku?"

"Who? I don't believe I know a Riku."

"Then who?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I guess it doesn't matter; there's nothing you can do about it. You're too weak to stop me. I'm going to destroy a girl by the name of Vanessa." Kairi gasped.

"Vanessa!" she exclaimed. "But why?" Zero furrowed her brows.

"You talk as if you know her," she observed. "Tell me, do you know her?"

"What do you have against her?" demanded Kairi.

"She's an enemy of the Organization…" said Zero. "…and a personal enemy of mine."

"But why?" asked Kairi. Zero turned her back to Kairi.

"You wouldn't understand," she said. "But the reason doesn't matter. What matters is that soon, Vanessa will cease to exist."

"But you can't!" cried Kairi. "You just can't!"

"And why not?" asked Zero. "Who will stop me? You? If I had a heart, I'd laugh." Kairi bristled at the insult.

"Sora would never let you do it!" she yelled. "He'll stop you!"

"The Keyblade master…" said Zero. "…if I cared enough, I'd destroy him as well." She turned back to Kairi and smirked. "But then again, my anger knows no bounds. If he gets in my way, his fate will be the same."

"No!" cried Kairi. "Leave them alone!" Zero just walked away. "Hey! Come back!" Zero ignored her and continued to walk until she found Demyx in the Grey Area. He was sitting on the sofa, fidgeting his fingers in a nervous manner, just as Zero expected him to.

"You could at least _try_ to be less pathetic," said Zero. Demyx groaned.

"Look Zero, I'm not in the mood ok?" he said. "You're not the one who has to fight Sora!" Zero folded her arms.

"You failed in the Underworld…" she said. "…and yet the Superior sends you again. What is he thinking?"

"Well, at least I have back up," said Demyx. "You're coming too aren't you?"

"I'm accompanying you, yes…" Zero admitted. "…but this is your fight and yours alone." Demyx flinched.

"What?" he cried. "You're not even gonna _help_?" Zero shook her head.

"My business is not to help you…" she said. "…but to eliminate Vanessa." Demyx looked down.

"So you're really gonna do it…" he muttered. He sighed. "Poor Vanessa…" Zero scoffed.

"Why do you pity her?" she asked. "She was just a pawn. She was used, now it's time to throw her away. She was nothing." Demyx jumped to his feet.

"Don't say that!" he yelled in Zero's face. Her eyes widened. "She was more than you! At least she had a heart!" Demyx's face flushed. He jumped back. "Z-Zero! I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean it like that, honest!" Zero's face grew expressionless.

"So you do have some balls after all," she remarked. Demyx faltered. "I'm not going to attack you; that'd be a waste of my time and energy. Besides, I'll get my revenge soon enough; Sora will do away with you for me."

"Why are you being this way?" asked Demyx. "You're so cold and unfeeling Zero. Even more so than Saïx, or even the Superior himself! In fact, you're colder than Vexen, and he was pure ice!"

"Is that so?" said Zero indifferently.

"And you're especially cold to me!" Demyx complained. "Do you hate me or something?"

"No," said Zero. "I simply don't like you. If I hated you, I would've killed you by now."

"Then what's your problem?" asked Demyx. Zero sighed.

"It's none of your business," she said. "Stop asking me, before I get upset." After she finished her sentence, Saïx appeared.

"Are you two ready?" he asked. Demyx gulped.

"You mean _now_?" he inquired.

"I believe that's what I asked," said Saïx.

"Err, sure, I'm ready…I guess…" said Demyx uncertainly.

"And you Number Zero?" asked Saïx. Zero smirked.

"I was _born_ ready," she said.

**AN: Yikes! I didn't realize the chapter was so short until after I typed it! Sorry guys, I promise the next one'll be twice as long!**


	11. Entering the Fray

Author's Note: Epic yawn! It' currently 4: 11 AM EST in New York, New York and I am _tired_! But, I because I was unable to update yesterday, I must must must do it now, regardless how tired I am (suck it human needs)! As you all probably know, Demyx canonically dies in Kingdom Hearts 2 (spoiler alert...too late), and naturally....

Yeah. I'm not saying he's gonna die here, but I'm not **not** saying that either. But anyway, enjoy the chapter (unless you're a hardcore Demyx fan, to which I give you permission to skip, y'know, _just in case he maybe probably **totally kicks the bucket**, maybe_)!

Disclaimer: I assure you all, I don't hate Demyx. And I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or his death scene.

Chapter 11: Entering the Fray

"What the hell?" said Vanessa. She had just appeared in Hollow Bastion, and Heartless were everywhere. She summoned her Keyblade. "Looks like an infestation to me; time to exterminate!" She slashed and hacked away at the Heartless. She took out a good number, but they just kept coming. They swarmed all around her.

"Well…" said Vanessa as she held her Keyblade defensively. "…_this_ ain't good." Suddenly, King Mickey jumped down and joined Vanessa's side.

"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed. "Boy am I glad to see you!" The King smiled up at her.

"Looks like you could use some help!" he said. He pulled out a Keyblade of his own. "Let's take care of these guys!" The two split off and fought the Heartless swarm. In no time, they were all defeated. Vanessa wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Phew!" she said. "Thank you your Highness." Mickey nodded.

"No problem!" he said. "Riku's not here with you is he?" Vanessa shook her head.

"Nah, he had things to do," she said. She frowned. "What's going on here? What's up with all the Heartless?" The King sighed.

"Hollow Bastion seems to be under attack," he explained. Vanessa flinched.

"Attack?" she cried. "By who?"

"Maleficent, a wicked witch who controls the Heartless," said the King. "There's a whole army of them in the chasm by the bailey."

"Now when you say 'army'…" said Vanessa. "…how big are we talking?"

"I'd say hundreds," said Mickey. Vanessa groaned.

"Good god…" she complained. She straightened up. "Is Sora here?"

"Yes, he's fighting the Heartless. I was just about to go meet him," said the King. Vanessa nodded.

"I'll join you," she said. The two rushed off to the bailey to find Sora.

"Damn, how am I supposed to break the news to him?" thought Vanessa as she followed King Mickey towards the designated area. "He'll hate me for sure! Some guardian angel _I_ turned out to be…" Suddenly, more Heartless appeared.

"Does it ever end?" she exclaimed. She prepared to fight, but Mickey held her back.

"I'll take care of these guys, you go meet Sora!" he commanded.

"But…!" tried Vanessa, but the King would hear none of it.

"Just go! I'll be fine!" he assured her. Vanessa hesitated for a moment before continuing on. Finally, she saw Sora. He was fighting a small army of Nobodies, Dancers, to be more precise. Waves of these more powerful Nobodies came at him and his friends. The more that he defeated, the more that came. He looked worn. A Dancer snuck up behind him and prepared to strike, but Vanessa, Keyblade drawn, entered the fray and destroyed it.

"Didn't I tell you to watch yourself fool?" she scolded.

"Vanessa!" cried Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Vanessa smiled, and then frowned as the Nobodies surrounded them.

"Today's turning out to be a freaking crazy day!" she exclaimed.

"No kidding," said Sora. "Let's go!" The two Keyblade wielders worked together with Donald and Goofy to overcome the Dancers. Between the four of them, the Nobodies were defeated with relative ease. Sora sighed.

"Thanks Vanessa," he said. "If you hadn't shown up, we would've been toast!"

"She really _is_ a guardian angel, hyuck!" exclaimed Goofy. Vanessa shook her head.

"Believe me, I'm no angel," she said. She looked down. "I'm a screw up…"

"What do you mean?" asked Donald.

"I…" said Vanessa. She swallowed. "…I lost Kairi…"

"I know," said Sora. Vanessa cringed.

"So then now you know," she said. She looked up at him with remorseful eyes. "If I can't even protect her, how am I supposed to protect you?" Sora grinned.

"Don't feel bad!" he said cheerfully. "It wasn't your fault! We'll get her back!"

"Yeah, we're not angry at ya or nothing," said Goofy. "We know it wasn't your fault."

"It was the Organization's!" chimed in Donald. Vanessa smiled.

"I promise I'll do whatever I can to help get her back," she said. Sora nodded.

"Thanks," he said. "Now come on; we have to go help Leon and the others take care of the Heartless." Vanessa followed Sora until they reached a rocky terrace.

"Whoa!" said Sora. Vanessa looked in the direction he was facing. Her eyes widened. In the abyss below, hundreds and hundreds of Heartless advanced towards the town.

"Damn!" she exclaimed. "He wasn't kidding! We have to fight _that_?"

"Looks like it," said Sora. Vanessa shuddered.

"How many of us are there?" she asked. Sora thought for a moment.

"Probably ten, I think," he said. Vanessa whistled.

"They got us beat 100 to 1…" she said. "…I don't know about you, but I don't like those odds." Mickey appeared ahead of them.

"Sora! You gotta get going! We'll take it from here!" he said.

"But Leon and the others are friends too!" Sora protested.

"There's enough help here, you just go find Riku and Kairi!" the King commanded.

"But…" said Sora. Vanessa stepped up.

"No offense your Highness…" she said. "…but is ya _crazy_? Look at the size of that army! I wouldn't be surprised if there were a thousand Heartless down there! Whatever help you got, it can't be nowhere _near_ that number!" Mickey sighed.

"Look, don't worry about us. Well take care of it," he said. "Sora's got more important things to do."

"And _this_ isn't one of them?" Vanessa countered. Mickey wanted to reply to that, but decided against it.

"Donald, Goofy, take Sora and get going!" he commanded instead.

"Yes sir your Majesty!" said Donald. "Come on Sora!"

"You're coming with us whether you want to or not!" said Goofy.

"But you guys!" Sora protested.

"What are you two doing?" hissed Vanessa. "You can't be serious!"

"Come on Sora, you have to be good!" said Donald. He winked. Sora smiled and mouthed a 'thank you'. He glanced at Vanessa, who nodded her understanding. He looked up at the sky.

"Riku, Kairi, give me a little more time ok?" he said softly. He motioned for everyone to follow him. They rushed past the King and jumped over the terrace.

"Sorry your Majesty!" called Sora.

"Hope you can forgive us!" Goofy added. Vanessa turned back and looked at Mickey.

"I'll take care of him," she said. "Don't worry." Mickey sighed and nodded. Vanessa smiled and rushed off to rejoin Sora. When she caught up to them, she saw that they were confronting a familiar enemy. She gasped.

"Demyx!" she could not help but to cry. The Nobody flinched.

"V-Vanessa!" he cried back.

"You know this weirdo?" asked Sora. Vanessa's face hardened.

"No…" she said coldly. Demyx faltered.

"Aww Vanessa, don't be that way!" he pleaded. "I didn't mean to lie to you! I'm sorry!" Vanessa angrily summoned her Keyblade.

"You're a liar!" she cried. "All of you! You're nothing but liars!" Demyx sighed.

"Silence traitor," he said coolly. He summoned his sitar and began to play. "Dance water, dance!" At his command, dozens of water silhouettes appeared. Vanessa, Sora, Donald, and Goofy worked quickly to dispose of them, leaving Demyx wide open. The Keyblade wielders rushed to attack him, but as they came close, Demyx strummed his sitar. A geyser of water shot up from underneath them, sending them into the air. Sora was able to recover and land on his feet, but Vanessa was not so lucky. She crashed to the ground and landed on her side. She cried out in pain.

"Vanessa!" cried Donald. He held up his wand. "Curaga!" At his beckoning, Vanessa was healed of most of her pain. She stood to her feet and summoned her Keyblade once more.

"Thanks Donald!" she called. She furiously turned her attention to Demyx. "What the hell Demyx! For someone who hates to fight so much, you sure almost _killed_ me!" Demyx smirked.

"You should never judge a book by its cover," he sneered.

"I never judged you by your cover!" said Vanessa as she rushed to attack. "I judged you by your chicken-scratch pages!" She managed to land a blow onto the mullet-haired Nobody, injuring him significantly. He quickly retaliated by sending a wave straight at Vanessa. She could not dodge it in time and was sent flying back into Sora. She quickly climbed off of him and helped him to his feet.

"Sorry!" she apologized. Sora shook his head.

"No problem," he said. He frowned. "How are we supposed to beat this guy? He's tough!" Vanessa thought for a moment.

"I know all of his attacks…" she said. "…I've seen him fight. He's gotten stronger no doubt, but his fighting style is still the same. You know reflect magic, right?" Sora nodded. "Ok, I gotta plan." Donald and Goofy regrouped with them. She huddled with everyone and whispered her plan into their ears. They grinned.

"Ok!" they said.

"Be ready on three," said Vanessa. "One, two, three!" After three, she and Sora rushed towards Demyx while Donald and Goofy went in the opposite direction. Demyx sent another wave at his immediate threats, Sora and Vanessa. They dodged it with ease and kept going. Next, he shot blobs of water at them. As planned, Sora jumped in front of Vanessa.

"Reflect!" he cried. A barrier of Light surrounded them. The water splashed against it.

"Now!" commanded Vanessa.

"Thundara!" cried Donald. A lightning bolt struck down at Demyx. He cried out in pain and faltered to his knee. Taking advantage of Demyx's hesitation, Goofy knocked him in the head with his shield, further incapacitating him. He tried to stand to his feet, but Vanessa and Sora rushed him with their Keyblades and simultaneously attacked him, each landing a critical blow. They stepped back and allowed Demyx to fall flat on his face.

"We did it!" cried Donald excitedly. Vanessa was not so sure.

"He's tougher then he looks…" she said. "…be prepared." Sure enough, Demyx managed to stagger to his feet. He breathed heavily; he was on his last leg. He weakly fell to his knee and looked up at Vanessa.

"I know you probably hate me…" he breathed. "…but I'm sorry. I didn't wanna go through with it…I didn't, I swear…" Vanessa's eyes wavered.

"Then why did you?" she asked. Demyx shook his head.

"I had no choice," he said. "But that doesn't matter now. Listen to me Vanessa; your life is in danger."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. Demyx struggled to stand once more.

"The Organization created a clone of you Vanessa, you and Sora," he explained. Everyone flinched.

"What?" they exclaimed.

"Her name's Number Zero," Demyx said. "She's here right now, and if you don't get out of here, she'll…ack!" Vanessa's eyes widened. A girl that looked mysteriously like her slashed Demyx in the back with a sinister-looking Keyblade. Demyx sputtered and groaned as his body faded away.

"Demyx!" Vanessa shouted as she watched her former friend disappear in a wisp of Darkness. She glared at the girl. "You monster! Why'd you do that?" The girl shrugged and shouldered her Keyblade.

"He was weak," the girl said. "His existence was pathetic; he didn't deserve to continue on." She smiled viciously and pointed her weapon at Vanessa. "And neither do you."


	12. Four Divided By Zero

Author's Note: Ok, so apparently, updating at 4 AM is not gonna cut it ever again, because according to my hit counter, not a single person decided to read the story. What is up with _that_? I mean, damn! Moving on, I'm at the point of the story where I start loosely (note: **loosely**) following the plot of KH2. There will be some inaccuracies, but hey, this entire story is one big inaccuracy, so I'm sure you can take it if I mess up a section of dialog or the exact sequence of certain going ons. I've moved back to my regular updating schedule of 10 PM EST, so, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Chapter 12: Four Divided By Zero

Vanessa gritted her teeth as she stared down this girl, Number Zero.

"Who are you?" cried Sora. Zero glanced indifferently at him.

"I have no business with you," she said. "Don't interfere, and you can make it out of here alive." She glared at Vanessa. "My business is with her alone."

"So who are you?" Vanessa demanded.

"My name…" said Zero. "…is irrelevant. My _title_, however, is Number Zero. I am a Nobody cloned from both your and Sora's information."

"A clone?" asked Goofy. "Gwarsh, you don't look nothing like Sora." Zero frowned.

"That's because I took up mostly after her," she said as she pointed her Keyblade at Vanessa. "I have Sora's strength, but I have your looks…" The red jewel on her Keyblade began to glow. "…and your temper!" She held her weapon offensively, her body trembling with rage. "I've wanted to destroy you since I first learned of your existence! Now die!" With immense speed, Zero rushed at Vanessa. Vanessa barely managed to dodge the blow, causing Zero to strike the ground instead. Vanessa's eyes widened. That single blow caused sizeable cracks in the stone ground.

"God damn!" she cried. "Are you insane?" Zero clenched her teeth.

"I'm not insane…" she said as she rushed to attack once more. "…just mad as hell!" This time, Vanessa tried to block the blow, but that proved to be a big mistake. Zero easily overcame her and knocked Vanessa's Keyblade against her chest.

"Vanessa!" cried Sora. He tried to enter the fray, but Zero swung her Keyblade against him. He cried out as he was knocked to the floor. Donald and Goofy tried to help, but she knocked them away as if she were batting mere baseballs. She turned her attention back to Vanessa, only to see that she was gone. She looked up with confusion. She did not see Vanessa come up behind her and swing her Keyblade against Zero's back. She gasped and fell to the ground on her hands and knees.

"I don't know what your problem is…" said Vanessa. "…but it sure as hell don't give you a right to attack my friends!" Zero slammed her Keyblade against the ground. The miniature quake it produced sent Vanessa stumbling to the floor. She quickly rolled out the way as Zero tried to hit her. She had to roll a second time to avoided being crushed yet again by Zero's Keyblade. She jumped to her feet and tried to land a blow of her own, but Zero immediately blocked it. The jewel glowed even brighter; she was getting angrier.

"My power is fueled by my rage!" Zero shouted as she easily knocked Vanessa away. "The angrier I am, the stronger I become, and every second you're still alive pisses me off!" She held her Keyblade in front of her and sent a blast of Light at Vanessa. It connected against her abdomen and sent her flying into a wall. Dazed, Vanessa did not have time to react when Zero slammed her weapon into her gut. She screamed in pain. Zero allowed Vanessa to fall to the ground. She tried to get up, but Zero pushed her back down with her foot. She smirked triumphantly as she prepared to stab Vanessa in the back.

"Now die!" she exclaimed.

"Fire!" yelled Sora. Zero cried out as a fireball hit her back. She angrily turned her attention to him.

"I told you not to get involved!" she scowled. Taking advantage of her distraction, Vanessa pushed herself off the ground and tapped Zero on the shoulder. When she turned around, Vanessa punched her square in the nose. She staggered back and held her nose in pain. Vanessa swung her Keyblade into Zero's knee, and then brought it down as hard as she could upon her shoulder, blade side up to avoid killing her. Zero fell to the ground, heavily injured. Vanessa stumbled back and fell on her bottom. She too succumbed to her injuries. She panted heavily as she watched Zero stagger to knees.

"You should've eliminated me…" she breathed. She struggled to her feet and gathered up her Keyblade. "…when you had the chance. I will not show you the same kindness." Vanessa stood up. She faltered slightly, but held her ground. Zero brought her Keyblade down on Vanessa. She tried to block it, but Zero was too strong. She managed to disarm Vanessa, sending her Keyblade flying. It skidded to a halt at Sora's hand. Zero pointed her Keyblade at Vanessa's face.

"Any last words?" she inquired.

"Why…?" Vanessa breathed. "Why are you doing this?" Zero's face hardened.

"Because I hate you," she explained bitterly. "Why should you get to fully exist? I'm much stronger than you!" Vanessa shook her head.

"Zero, killing me isn't gonna make you feel better," she said. "Believe me, I know." Zero gritted her teeth.

"It will make me feel _a lot_ better!" she cried. "You don't deserve to live! Why should _you_ get to have a heart?" Zero began to tremble. "I'm tired of living under your shadow! I want my own existence! I want to be real, and the only way that can happen is if I destroy the one thing that's standing in my way: you!" She prepared herself for the final blow. Vanessa shut her eyes and waited to be cut down. She heard a loud clang. Her eyes shot open to see Sora in front of her, holding Zero off with both of their Keyblades.

"I won't let you hurt her!" he shouted. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" He successfully pushed Zero back. She stumbled to the ground. Her Keyblade fell out of her hand. Sora handed Vanessa her Keyblade. Zero staggered to her feet to see her self outnumbered. She did not care, however, and snatched up her Keyblade anyway.

"No one is going to stop me!" she yelled. Her jewel glowed as bright as the rising sun. "I _will_ destroy you Vanessa, if it's the last thing I do!"

"Don't be stupid Zero," said a voice. Zero gasped. Leaning against the wall was Axel.

"Axel!" cried Vanessa. He smirked and walked up to them.

"You!" cried Sora. "You're the one who took Kairi! Where is she?" Axel sighed.

"Look, about Kairi…" he said. "…I'm sorry, but I don't have her. Saïx took her." He turned his attention to Zero. "You're injured."

"I'm fine…" she muttered. "…what are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don't do anything stupid," he said. "Got it memorized?"

"Get out of here!" Zero yelled. "You have no business here!" Axel sighed.

"You're injured and outnumbered," he said. "If you don't get out of here right now, you're not gonna make it."

"Shut up!" cried Zero. "I don't need you to give me any advice!"

"Hold on, what's going on?" interrupted Sora. "You're saying you_ don't_ have Kairi?"

"I already told you…" said Axel. "…Saïx has her. Vanessa can tell you; she was there after all." Vanessa gritted her teeth.

"What did he do with her?" she demanded. Axel opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when Saïx appeared.

"Uh oh!" he cried, and promptly disappeared.

"You!" cried Sora. "You have Kairi! Where is she? What did you do with her?"

"Don't worry," said Saïx. "We're taking very good care of her." He glanced at Zero. "Number Zero, abort the mission." She flinched.

"But sir!" she protested.

"_Now_," Saïx commanded. Zero clenched her fists.

"It's not over Vanessa…" she strained as she faded into the Darkness. "…I _will_ defeat you."

"You created a clone of me!" Vanessa accused Saïx when Zero was gone. He smirked.

"After you left, we needed a replacement," he said. Sora furrowed his brows.

"A replacement?" he repeated. He turned to Vanessa. "You _worked_ for these guys?" Vanessa flinched.

"N-No! No way!" she cried. "Sora, it wasn't like that! Honest!" She turned to Saïx. "Where the hell is Kairi? Why are you still keeping her?"

"You care deeply for her, don't you?" asked Saïx.

"Yes!" exclaimed Sora and Vanessa.

"Show me," Saïx requested. Vanessa growled.

"Go to hell!" she cried. "We don't have to show you nothing! Right Sora? Huh? Sora?" Sora got onto his knees and bowed to Saïx. "Sora! What are you…?"

"Please…" he begged. "…she means everything to me." Vanessa's eyes wavered.

"Sora…" she said softly. Saïx smirked.

"I see," he said with slight amusement. "In that case, no." Sora jumped to his feet.

"You rotten…!" he cried. Vanessa summoned her Keyblade.

"You bastard!" she shouted. "What a mean trick! How dare you?"

"You just worry about taking care of the Heartless," said Saïx. "We'll worry about the girl. Until we meet again." He disappeared.

"Kairi…" said Sora sadly. Vanessa folded her arms.

"I'm sorry Sora…" she said. "…but Saïx is a major asshole; he was never gonna give her up anyway. He's using her to control you."

"Sora! Nessa!" cried Goofy's voice. The two looked up to see Donald and Goofy rush towards them.

"You guys! You're ok!" exclaimed Sora.

"Are _you _ok?" asked Donald. Vanessa nodded.

"We're fine," she said. Suddenly, she was overcome with dizziness and pain, causing her to falter on her feet. "Or not…"

"Vanessa!" cried Sora, the last thing she heard before she passed out cold.


	13. Overflow

Author's Note: Hello my pretties! Me again! I've been feeling pretty bummed out lately; according to my hit count, no one has been reading my stories for the past two or so days. But that's impossible, because I've been getting reviews, and you can't review something you never read. I mean, you _can_, but then it'd just be weird. Anyway, I hope this issue gets resolved soon, because I check my hit counter religiously, and it sucks to see Zero all the time (see what I just did there?).

Enough of my boring melodrama, because seriously, who gives a shit about that? Moving on to something more story-relevant, as I mentioned in the beginning, I only wrote 16 of these chapters. Yes, I understand that that was two weeks ago and that I could've wrote at least _one_ extra chapter in that time, but you guys don't understand; I procrastinate. _A lot_. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, be prepared for a lag. Sorry, but I'm just saying...

But we'll deal with that when the time comes (in approx. three days), so on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: You know what, fuck it! I'm not writing these anymore!

Chapter 13: Overflow

Zero sat on her bed, seething with hate and rage. If she had half a mind, she would have taken her Keyblade to everyone in the entire castle, but fortunately for her and everyone else, she knew better.

"I was so close!" she spat. "How dare Saïx force me to abort the mission? I was so close!" She stood to her feet and yanked opened her door. She put on her hood, jammed her fists in her pockets, and did what she always did when she needed to blow off steam in a nonlethal way: She took a walk.

"This is all Axel's fault! _His_ plans were foiled, so now he feels he has the right to mess with _mine_!" she thought bitterly as she skulked through the halls. "His plans were stupid; it's his own fault that they failed. I, on the other hand, was _this_ close to my revenge! Damn him!" She clenched her fists.

"He'd better not show his face to me…" she muttered under her breath. "…if he wants to continue existing…"

"Whoa! Some-one is an-gry!" Xigbar's voice said in singsong. Zero knew that he was above her, but did not give him the satisfaction. Instead, she kept walking. Xigbar jumped down from his clever hiding spot on the ceiling in front of Zero, blocking her path.

"Zero! How's it going?" he greeted as he slung his arm around her shoulder. She cringed slightly. "I was just in the neighborhood and I noticed you looking a little tense there! You ok?" Zero sighed and clenched her fists more tightly.

"I'm _fine_…" she strained to say. Xigbar smirked.

"Are you _sure_?" he teased. "You don't look so fine to me!" He tried to remove her hood, but Zero grabbed his hand.

"Don't," she warned. Xigbar removed himself from her and took a step back.

"Whoa, _sorry_!" he said. "I'd hate to be the guy _you're_ so angry at!"

"Yes you would…" Zero deadpanned and continued to walk. Xigbar rushed to catch up to her.

"So…" he said nonchalantly. "…how was your mission?"

"Saïx forced me to abort it…" Zero grudgingly admitted. Xigbar chuckled.

"Is that so?" he asked. "Did you at least have her on her hands and knees?" Zero stopped and glared up at Xigbar from underneath the shadow of her hood.

"I _had_ her!" she hissed. Xigbar held up his hands submissively.

"Alright, I believe you," he assured her. He smirked. "I just wanted to say I appreciated your help." Zero folded her arms.

"It was easy," she said. "He wouldn't have lasted much longer whether or not I intervened anyway."

"I didn't think you had it in you to cut down one of your comrades," said Xigbar. "Guess I was wrong."

"If it were anyone else, maybe," said Zero.

"What made him different?"

"He annoyed me. He was too weak. He felt too much."

"Jealous?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were jealous."

"What could I _possibly_ have been jealous of him for?"

"He may pretend, but the guy was a pretty heartfelt dude."

"And why would I be jealous of _that_?"

"Because, a pile of _rocks_ has more feelings than you!" Xigbar laughed and playfully slapped Zero on the back. She snapped. Crying out with frustration and anger, she grabbed Xigbar and shoved him against the wall. An ominous grin spread across his face.

"Now what made you think _that_ was smart?" he teased. Zero wrenched away and ran down the halls as fast as her legs could carry her. She did not stop until she was in Twilight's View. She rushed into Crooked Ascension and tore her hood from off of her head, panting heavily. She tightly held her arms and paced the floor. When she arrived at her floor, she burst into Nothing's Call. She tripped and splashed into the water on her hands and knees. She looked at her reflection. For the first time in her existence, she saw not a look of anger or hate, but of confusion, and something else.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked her reflection. A drop of water caused the water's surface to ripple. When it stabilized, Zero was loathed see a reflection of Vanessa in place of her own. She hit the water to make it go away, but her other remained. In a fit of anxiety, Zero began to slap at the water with her hands.

"Go away!" she shouted desperately. "Leave me alone!" Her cries echoed through the stony chambers. "Please…go away…" With one last slap, Zero sat down in the water and held her head with her hands as she rocked to and fro.

"_This way. Just a little further,"_ she heard a voice say. She looked up to see an image of Roxas smiling down at her. "_Don't give up now; we're almost out."_ Zero swallowed.

"But I'm…scared…" she said unconsciously in a voice not her own. She flinched as Roxas reached out to a hand that emerged from her chest. Suddenly, an image of Vanessa phased through Zero and stood to her feet.

"_Don't worry; I'll protect you,"_ said the image of Roxas. The image of Vanessa smiled and allowed her self to be led down the chamber and out of sight. Zero's eyes wavered at the sight she witnessed. She closed her eyes and allowed a memory to enter her mind.

"_Ta-dah!" exclaimed Vanessa as she handed Roxas and Axel their ice cream. "Here ya go ya moochers!"_

"I'm_ a moocher?" Axel joked. "I've been buying you ice cream for over a month now!" Vanessa laughed and took a seat in between her friends._

"_Ok you got me there," she admitted. She hooked her arm around Roxas and took a bite of her ice cream. "Mmmmm… Y'know, once you get used to it, this stuff ain't half-bad."_

"_Yeah, it's pretty good," Roxas replied. Vanessa laid on her back in his lap. "Vanessa?"_

"_Y'know…" she said. "…being here is alright. I like this, being up here with you guys, eating ice cream, goofing off, the works… It's great." She laughed. "And the best part is, all this running around I'm doing prevents me from getting fat!" Axel chuckled._

"_I don't know, Roxas over there looks like he's suffering a bit," he joked. Vanessa bolted upright and gave Axel a stern look._

"_Watch it twiggy!" she retorted. Axel laughed._

"_I was just kidding…" he said. "…don't have a cow." Vanessa blew him a raspberry before laying back down on Roxas._

"_Why are you laying on me?" he asked._

"'_Cause…" Vanessa answered._

"_Because what?" Roxas pushed._

"'_Cause because," Vanessa countered. She smiled up at him. "Oh don't give me that face! You know I'm weird!" Roxas sighed and shook his head._

"_Only too well…" he muttered. He smiled down at her. "I don't mind though; it's kinda nice." Vanessa sat up._

"_Whoa!" she exclaimed. "Someone's getting a bit _too_ comfortable right there!" Axel burst out laughing. Roxas furrowed his brows._

"_Huh?" he asked. "What's the matter?" Vanessa blushed and frantically shook her head._

"_Nothing!" she said hurriedly. Axel just continued to laugh. She nudged him in the ribs. "That's _not_ what I meant! Perve…"_

"_I'm lost…" muttered Roxas. Axel suppressed his laughter._

"_It's nothing buddy," he said. "Just an inside joke, got it memorized?" Roxas shook his head._

"_Whatever…" he mumbled. Vanessa lassoed him into her with her arm and did the same to Axel. "Hey! What are you…?"_

"_Hush," she commanded them. "Close your eyes."_

"_Why?" asked Axel. "What are you doing?"_

"_This is _not_ an option; close your freaking eyes or we have a problem," Vanessa threatened. The two Nobodies quickly did as they were told. "Now take a deep breath." They did. "Now open your eyes." When they did, she let them go and obliviously looked at the setting sun._

"_Um, Vanessa?" said Axel. "Forgive me if I don't understand but, what was that about?" Vanessa smiled._

"_Sometimes you just gotta stop everything, take a deep breath, and just enjoy being alive," she explained. "Being here with you two at that very moment; it just made me feel so alive."_

"_Another Somebody thing?" asked Roxas. Vanessa sighed._

"_Yeah…" she muttered blankly. "…just a Somebody thing…"_

Zero clambered to her feet. Using the Darkness, she journeyed to Twilight Town's clock tower. Though soaking wet, she took a seat on the ledge. She clenched her hands together, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she felt no different. She did not feel alive.

"If she continues to live…" she muttered softly. "…I never can."


	14. Up, Up, and Away

Author's Note: Stupid glitch! How will I know how successful my story is if I can't tell that anyone new is reading it! Anywho, today's chapter is what I like to call a transitional chapter; a chapter used for the sole prupose of moving on to the next plot point of the story. It's kinda like a filler, because it _is_ a filer! Yay big words! Lol, but regardless, enjoy as always and FREAKING REVIEW GOD DAMMIT!

Chapter 14: Up, Up, and Away

_Vanessa hung on for dear life as she dangled over an endless precipice. She tried to call for help, but no one would heed her cries. Tears burned at her eyes; she could not hang on much longer. Suddenly, from the shadows appeared Zero. She walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down at Vanessa with indifference. She placed her foot gently against Vanessa's face._

"_I can not live…" she said coldly. "…until you die." Using her foot, she pushed Vanessa into the dark abyss below._

Vanessa woke up screaming. Sora, Donald, and Goofy fell back in alarm. Vanessa bolted upright and frantically checked her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she demanded.

"We're at Leon's," Sora replied.

"What happened?" Vanessa asked.

"Ya just fainted out of the blue," replied Goofy. "Are you ok?" Vanessa sighed.

"I think," she said. "I'ven't been out too long have I?"

"Only a couple of hours," replied Donald. "You were pretty wounded, so Aerith fixed you up." Vanessa climbed out of the bed she was in and stretched.

"That was nice of her," she said. She turned to Sora. "So, what'd I miss? Nothing totally epic I hope?" Sora smugly put his hands behind his head.

"Well, I _did_ take out an army of a thousand Heartless on my own," he bragged. Vanessa did a double take.

"Holy shit!" she cried. "Excuse my language, but god damn!" She turned to Donald. "Is he _legit_?" He folded his arms and rolled his eyes at Sora's pretentiousness.

"Uh-huh," said the duck mage grudgingly. Vanessa sighed.

"Man…" she complained. "…I _always_ miss cool stuff like that… 1000? And you're still _alive_? Shoot, if I had known you were _this_ good, I would've just stayed with Riku!"

"Do you know where he is now?" Sora asked. Vanessa shook her head.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she said. Suddenly, Aerith walked into the room.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, jumping slightly. "You're awake!"

"Yup, and good as gold too, thanks to you," said Vanessa. Aerith blushed slightly.

"You're welcome," she said. "Leon is in the front. He wants to speak with you Sora. You should come too Vanessa."

"Right!" said Sora. "Come on you guys." Sora, Vanessa, Donald, and Goofy moved to the front of the house to meet Leon. He glanced at Vanessa.

"So…" he said. "…you're awake." Vanessa grinned.

"Hey!" she greeted. "I never got a chance to officially meet you. I'm Vanessa."

"Nessa for short!" Goofy added, causing Vanessa to smile.

"What he said," she said.

"You wanted to see us?" asked Sora. Leon nodded.

"I wanted to thank you," he said. "The Heartless invasion seems to have been stopped for now."

"No problem!" said Sora. "So that means we're done here?"

"Looks like it," said Leon. "Good luck on the rest of your journey." Sora nodded.

"Thanks Leon," he said.

"Goodbye Sora, it was wonderful seeing you again," said Aerith. "And it was nice to meet you Vanessa." Vanessa curtseyed.

"The pleasure's all mine love!" she said in a peculiar accent. She waved. "Bye everyone!" She stepped outside with Sora once all goodbyes were exchanged. "Ok! So, what now?"

"There are other worlds that are in trouble besides this one," said Sora. "We have to help them too."

"Would you mind if I tagged along for a bit?" Vanessa asked. "I'm not exactly swimming in travel options here."

"Can she guys?" asked Sora. Donald and Goofy exchanged a glance before smiling. The two of them each grabbed one of Vanessa's hands and practically dragged her to their ship.

"Welcome to our Gummi Ship!" exclaimed Donald. Vanessa marveled at the interior of the curious vessel. She examined and poked at every gizmo and gadget in her line of sight.

"Kick ass!" she exclaimed as she finally took a seat. "You guys get to zip around the galaxy in _this_? This sure as hell beats the Corridor of Darkness by a _long shot_!" Suddenly, two small, brown chipmunks appeared at her feet.

"Hi!" greeted one.

"I'm Chip!" said the other.

"And I'm Dale!" said the first.

"Who are you?" the two said together.

"Chip, Dale, this is Vanessa," Sora introduced. "Vanessa, this is Chip and Dale, the ship's maintenance crew." Vanessa blinked.

"Well…" she said. "…I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Out of all the stuff I've been exposed to the past six months of my life, this is definitely _not_ the weirdest." She smiled at the chipmunks. "Nice to meet you guys. You got an awesome vessel here!"

"Why thank you!" said Chip, or who Vanessa _thought_ was Chip.

"Ok guys, buckle up!" said Sora. "Prepare for take off!" Vanessa excitedly strapped herself in.

"Sorry Riku…" she mumbled under breath. "…but Sora's got a freaking _ride_!"

"Ignition!" said Sora.

"Check!" said Donald.

"Engines!" said Sora.

"Check!" exclaimed Chip and Dale. "All systems go!"

"Everything's in the green!" said Goofy.

"Ok, blasting off!" cried Sora. The ship rocketed into the sky. In less then ten seconds, they were soaring through space. Vanessa excitedly pressed her face against the window, taking in the sights.

"This may sound pretty freaking sad…" she said. "…but this is the most exciting thing I've ever experienced in my life!" Sora grinned.

"I remember thinking the same thing when I took my first trip," he said. Vanessa walked up to the cockpit and looked out the windshield. She squinted her eyes.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked, pointing out several dots. Sora's eyes widened.

"Uh oh!" he cried. "Heartless!" Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"In space?" she inquired.

"Battle positions!" commanded Sora. A control stick appeared from the steering wheel.

"Ok, now _that's _awesome," she said. "It's official; this is the coolest thing ever." Suddenly, the ship jerked to the side, sending Vanessa flat on her stomach. She quickly rose to her feet.

"What the hell was _that_?" she cried.

"We're under attack!" cried Donald.

"By _what_?" Vanessa exclaimed.

"Heartless!" replied Goofy. Vanessa just shook it off and watched Sora blast the Heartless into another universe with as much amazement as a child watching an action movie. Sora noticed Vanessa watching and smiled at her.

"Wanna try?" he offered. Vanessa's eyes widened.

"M-Me?" she said. "Are you sure?"

"Come on, it's easy!" Sora assured her. "Come on, you know you want to!" Vanessa wasted no time replacing Sora in the driver's seat. "Ok, you steer with the handle, and shoot with these two buttons right here. Got it?"

"Got it," said Vanessa. She firmly grasped the controls and smiled viciously. "Aww yeah! All those wasted hours and quarters playing Galaga is finally gonna pay off! Look out bitches; you're messing with a top scorer right here!" Vanessa mashed on the fire button, blasting away at the Heartless relentlessly as if there were no tomorrow.

"Whoa! Look at her go!" exclaimed Donald.

"Wow Vanessa! You're pretty good!" said Sora. He smirked. "Think you can beat _my_ top score?" Vanessa smirked as well.

"Sounds like a challenge!" she said. "I accept spiky boy!" She cracked her neck and her knuckles before retaking the controls. "Let's do this!" She concentrated hard as she systematically destroyed every Heartless in sight. The minutes ticked by. Her eyes twitched and burned and her wrists screamed with carpal tunnel, but Vanessa pressed on. Finally, the threat was over and she was done. Her "score" popped up on the screen and compared itself to Sora's. Vanessa jumped from her seat and whooped for joy.

"Booyah!" she cried victoriously. "Haha! Eat it key boy!" Sora scowled as he replaced Vanessa in his chair.

"You got lucky!" he said. Vanessa grinned.

"Don't hate the player, hate the game son!" she retorted. She leaned back in her seat. "So…where're we going again?" Goofy scratched his head.

"Where _are_ we going Sora?" he inquired. Sora thought for a moment.

"Well…" he said. "…I _guess_ we should check up on Mulan. Y'know, to make sure everything's ok."

"Mulan?" asked Vanessa. "Who's that?"

"She's a friend of ours from the Land of Dragons," explained Donald. Vanessa nodded.

"I see," she said. "Land of Dragons huh? Sounds sexy." Sora faltered.

"Huh?" he said. He folded his arms. "You're so…"

"God if you say weird!" Vanessa threatened playfully. "You have _no_ idea how many people told me that!"

"Well, you are kinda strange," Goofy admitted.

"But not in a bad way!" Donald added.

"Right," said Sora. "You're weird in a good way!"

"So I'm told," said Vanessa. "But to be fair, I already knew I was weird. But like I always say, I am who I is."

"Well, who you are is alright with us," said Sora. Vanessa smiled.

"Thanks Sora, that's a very sweet thing to say," she said. Her stomach began to growl. She dug around in her pockets for a candy bar, but found that she ate them all. Instead, she pulled out a familiar object: the 'Winner' ice cream stick.

At that moment, she realized that all she had left of her friend was his coat that she wore, and all the junk that she inherited with it. She took the moment to empty the pockets of its contents. When she was finished, she pulled out an assortment of useless junk: two rubber bands, five paper clips, several candy wrappers, a smooth pebble, a sack of munny, a razor blade, a cat's-eye marble, a long piece of string, a small square mirror, and a seashell. She laid the items along a table. Sora noticed what she was doing and looked on curiously.

"You sure keep a lot of stuff with you," he commented. Vanessa smiled sadly.

"Yeah…" she said. "…it's all I have left."

"All you have left?" asked Donald. Vanessa sighed.

"Of him…" she said softly.

"Who?" asked Sora. Vanessa picked up the string and fumbled around with it.

"My friend," she replied. "He had a bad habit of picking up random crap from places." She laughed. "He would keep the most useless stuff!"

"What happened to him?" inquired Goofy. Vanessa frowned and slowly put the things back into her pockets.

"He disappeared," she revealed.


	15. Conspiracy

Author's Note: Hello again! It's your favorite guys, another Zero chapter! Yayness! Lol, enjoy!

Chapter 15: Conspiracy

Zero sighed and sat down on the ledge of the clock tower. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she saw images of Axel, Roxas, and Vanessa sitting together, laughing. When Zero blinked, they were gone.

"All these memories…" she muttered. "…but why? Why am I seeing all these things? They're not even my memories…"

"Zero?" called a voice. She jumped up in alarm and turned to the origin. Her eyes narrowed at whom she saw.

"Axel," she said bitterly. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," he said. Zero watched him warily as he walked past her and took a seat. "Nice day today huh?" Zero gritted her teeth.

"Don't play games with me!" she cried, her anger rising. Axel raised an eyebrow.

"What games?" he inquired. "All I said was 'Nice day today', is that so wrong?"

"I had her!" Zero exclaimed. "If you hadn't come along and distracted me, I could've finished the job!" Axel frowned.

"If I hadn't come along…" he corrected. "…she and Sora would've destroyed you, got it memorized? You should be thanking me."

"_Thank_ you?" Zero cried. "I should _destroy_ you!" Axel chuckled.

"Destroy me huh?" he asked. "I guess I wouldn't put it past you. I'm sure Saïx already put the hit out on me anyway."

"It would be what you deserve," said Zero coldly. "You couldn't just be content with your regular existence; you had to foolishly grasp at what you know you can't have." Axel looked at her indignantly.

"And what about _you_ Number Zero?" he exclaimed. "Who's the one trying to destroy someone on the thin hope that they can obtain a full existence? Not me!" Zero growled.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "That's different!" Axel shook his head.

"It's the same," he said. "You and me, we're the same."

"No!"

"Yes. We're both trying to obtain wholeness. The only difference is, you need to destroy to be whole, while I need to gain."

"No! Shut up! I'm not like you! I'm not a traitor like you!"

"You don't have to be. We may not be _exactly_ the same, but we're both working towards the same goal."

"N-No!"

"Face it Zero. We both want the same thing, so if my plans are stupid and unreachable, so are yours." Zero staggered back. Her hands flew to her head in unbearable pain.

"No!" she screamed. "It's not true! None of it's true! You're lying!"

"Face it Zero!" Axel cried. "You're no different than me! You're just like me! You're just like Vanessa! You're not your own person, just a copy of others!" Zero fell to her knees, writhing in agony.

"No!" she cried. "No!" She fell to the floor and curled up into a ball. She tightly shut her eyes. Images and memories flashed rapidly through her mind as voices rang in her ears. "No, stop! I can't…!"

"Zero?" called Axel. "Zero, what's wrong?"

"They won't stop!" she cried. "Stop it, stop it! Leave me alone! These memories, they're not mine! Make them stop! Axel!" He flinched. "Please, help me! Make them stop!" She started to scream. Axel rushed to her side.

"Zero!" he cried. Her eyes shot open. They were filled with pain and fear. Her screams died down until they were short gasps.

"What's happening…?" she said weakly. She clutched Axel's coat. "Axel, what's happening to me?" He lifted her up into his arms.

"I don't know…" he said as he opened a portal. "…but we're about to go find out." As soon as he said this, Zero passed out. Axel quickly stepped into the dark corridor. When they came out, they were in the Grey Area of the castle, where Axel knew Saïx would be. Saïx turned around from the window, a hint of surprise on his face.

"You have some nerve being here," he said coolly.

"There's something wrong with Zero," said Axel. He laid her unconscious form across a sofa. "She started screaming, and then she passed out." Saïx slowly approached her. He looked down at her face. It wore a deeply troubled expression. He closed his eyes.

"It has begun…" he muttered.

"What?" asked Axel. "What's going on with her?" Saïx opened his eyes and turned his back to Axel.

"What does it matter to you?" he said. "As far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't even be here. Don't you know you're no longer welcome here?" Axel folded his arms.

"I missed you too…" he muttered sarcastically. "…but this isn't about me. It's about Zero. Something's terribly wrong with her…" He sighed. "…and I guess I owe it to her to find out what."

"Owe?" repeated Saïx. "You owe this creature nothing." Axel faltered.

"What?" he said. "Zero's _not_ a creature!" Saïx smirked.

"Is that so?" he stated more than asked. "She is nothing Axel; a temporary fix for a temporary problem. It was never expected that she'd last this long."

"What do you mean?"

"Number Zero is powerful yes, but her structure is very unstable. She will quite literally fall apart at the seams, starting with her mind. She is losing touch with her perceived identity; Vanessa's memories will take over and overwhelm her. Soon, she will cease to be useful. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless we take that identity away." Axel flinched.

"But you can't!" he argued. "It would destroy her!"

"And why do you care so much?" asked Saïx. Axel clenched his fists.

"I won't let you do it," he said. "Her identity is the only thing she has. Even if it's not her own."

"It's not like you have a say in the matter!" teased a voice. Axel gasped and looked up. Xigbar smirked down at him. "Axel! Long time no see!" He disappeared from the ceiling to the floor. "How've you been?" Axel said nothing. Xigbar turned his attention to Saïx.

"Now I know you know better!" he joked. Saïx glared at him.

"I've done nothing wrong," he said coolly. Xigbar chuckled.

"Maybe," he said. He looked at Zero. "She's staying here with us if you don't mind Axel."

"So she can become your puppet?" he shouted. "No way!" Xigbar smirked.

"Now just because she knows her place, it doesn't make her a puppet," he said. "It just makes her _loyal_. Wouldn't know anything about _that_ now would ya?" Axel gritted his teeth, but said nothing. "What? No snide remark? I'm almost ashamed!" Axel opened his mouth to say something, but a groan stopped him. Zero stirred awake.

"Wha…?" she said softly as she sat up. "What happened?" She looked up to see Axel. She jumped to her feet. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Zero!" exclaimed Axel. "They're trying to…!"

"Axel tried to kidnap you," interrupted Saïx. Axel faltered.

"What?" he cried. "No! Zero, that's not true!"

"You tried to _what_?" she cried. "It's not enough that you failed with your stupid plans, but you had to try to kidnap me _too_?"

"No!" cried Axel. "Zero, they're going to take your identity away! I'm trying to _save_ you!" Zero flinched.

"Wh-What?" she said. She gritted her teeth. "You're a liar! They'd never do that to me!"

"But they are!" pleaded Axel. "Please, you have to believe me!"

"Why should I believe _you_?" cried Zero. "You're a liar _and_ a traitor! You've betrayed Vanessa, Roxas, the Organization, _and_ me! Once a traitor, _always_ a traitor!" Axel flinched.

"Z-Zero…" he said softly. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry; I won't bother you anymore…" He disappeared into the Darkness. Xigbar placed a hand on Zero's shoulder.

"Sorry about that," he said. "You gonna be ok?" Zero's face turned expressionless.

"Yes…" she said. "…I'll be fine. Why did he want to kidnap me?"

"To further his own agenda," said Saïx. "But you needn't worry; Axel will not take you." Zero nodded.

"Good," she said.

"Well, if all that's over, I gotta prepare for my next mission," said Xigbar. He patted Zero's shoulder. "Take care of yourself!" He disappeared.

"Saïx?" said Zero.

"Yes?" he replied.

"What did he mean when he said you were going to take away my identity?" Zero asked. Saïx smirked.

"What does it matter?" he said. "He was obviously lying." He turned his back to Zero. "You have no identity to take."


	16. Choices

Author's Note: Ok guys, it's the moment you've all been dreading, *insert Psycho music here* the HIATUS PERIOD. I'm sorry guys, but my inspiration is waning. It's what happens to me, I get a burst of inspiration for a month, then i lose it and move on to something else a month later. It sucks, but it's how I roll. But, because I refuse to give up and just leave you giys in the dust, I _will_ finish this story, just give me some time to find my muse. It shouldnt be hard, all I gotta do is play some Kingdom Hearts, maybe I'll finally get it together and try to defeat Demyx once and for all! Lol. But anyway, until then, enjoy this last chapter. For now of course. But don't worry, when I come back, the story'll be better than ever, I promise you.

Chapter 16: Choices

_Vanessa perched herself on the bent trunk of the palm tree. She stared at the sun setting into the ocean. The light reflected off the water, giving it a sparkling effect. She smiled at the beautiful scene before her._

"_It's pretty isn't it?" said a voice. Vanessa turned her head and smiled._

"_Roxas," she said. He went over to her and sat next to her. "I miss you."_

"_I miss you too," he said. "I've been watching you." Vanessa smirked._

"_Sounds kinda stalker-ish don'tcha think?" she teased. Roxas chuckled._

"_Maybe," he said. He frowned. "You've gotten pretty close to him." Vanessa furrowed her brows._

"_He's my friend," she said. "What's the matter with that? You jealous or something? Don't be."_

"_I don't like him…" said Roxas. Vanessa grinned._

"_Why? 'Cause he kicked your ass?" she teased. Roxas was not amused._

"_Just watch out for him," he warned. "He's delved deeply into the Darkness. He could drag you with him." Vanessa frowned and looked towards the ocean._

"_You're wrong," she said. "He may live in Darkness, but since when was that bad? People can claim to live in the Light and do horrible things just as easy as a person living in Darkness can do good. It's less conventional, but it's the truth. And it takes real balls to go the in between, like he does. He made his own path, one I try to follow. It's hard, but it's our choice. Don't go around bashing him just because you don't agree with his methods."_

"_So you've decided," said Roxas. "Figures; Axel's usually right…"_

"_What do you mean?" asked Vanessa._

"_Axel said that if you ever had to choose between me and a real person, you'd choose that person hands down."_

"_R-Roxas! That's not true!"_

"_You've made your choice," He jumped down from the tree. "Good bye Vanessa. I hope he can make you happier than I ever could." He began to walk away._

"_Roxas!" cried Vanessa after him. "Roxas! Roxas!"_

"Wait!" she shouted as she bolted awake.

"Vanessa?" called Sora. She looked up at him. "Are you ok?" She sighed.

"I'm fine," she said. She stretched and yawned. "Are we there yet?"

"We just landed!" said Goofy.

"Come on!" said Donald excitedly. Vanessa yawned again as she followed her companions out of the Gummi Ship into this strange new world. They appeared to be in a mountainside. Fresh snow was falling all around them. Vanessa shivered.

"This place is freaking _cold_!" she complained. "Land of Dragons my ass! I thought this place would be a littler _hotter_!"

"You'll get used to it," said Sora. "Come on." Vanessa just rolled her eyes and followed Sora and his troupe further into the mountain. Along the way, they were met by a woman with black eyes and short black hair.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy!" she called, rushing towards them. "You're back!"

"Hey Mulan," greeted Sora. "Long time no see." A tiny red dragon popped up on Mulan's shoulder.

"Hey hey hey! Look who decided to show back up!" it exclaimed.

"How ya doing there Mushu?" said Goofy. "You're looking lively!"

"Well y'know, as a guardian dragon, my work's never done," he boasted. "So what brings you guys back here?" He looked at Vanessa. "I see you brought a friend!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Sora. "Right! Mulan, Mushu, this is our friend Vanessa. "Vanessa, these are our friends Mulan and Mushu." Vanessa grinned.

"Konnichiwa!" she said.

"I'm sorry?" said Mulan with confusion. Vanessa faltered.

"Oh, erm, never mind…" she said. Mulan furrowed her brows.

"That coat…" she said. "…I'm looking for a man who wears the exact same one."

"The Organization!" exclaimed Donald and Goofy in unison.

"Where'd you see him?" asked Sora. "We'll get him!"

"Well actually, he was just inside the palace," said Mulan. "He appeared out of no where and told the emperor of an in-coming threat to the city." Vanessa gasped.

"Riku?" she thought. She said aloud, "What'd this guy look like?"

"He was tall…" said Mushu. "…but other than that, couldn't tell. His hood was up the whole time." Sora folded his arms.

"He was warning of an attack?" he asked. "What kind of attack?"

"A giant Heartless," replied Mulan.

"Well if that's the case, we ain't doing no good standing around here," said Vanessa. "Let's head to the palace and see if we can sort this out." Sora nodded.

"Right," he said. "Let's go." They all began to descend the mountain. Part way down, a mysterious man blocked their path. Cloaked and hooded, it was impossible to tell his identity.

"It's him!" exclaimed Mulan. Sora summoned his Keyblade.

"Who are you?" he demanded. Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"Wait," she said. She noticed the sword in the man's hand. She gasped. Suddenly, a large swarm of Rapid Thrusters appeared. Everyone sprang into action at once: Mulan, Donald, Goofy, and Vanessa scrambled to defeat the innumerous enemies, while Sora and the mysterious man shared a brief battle. Sora could hardly get a combo in before being attacked by the annoying pests of Heartless. In the confusion of the Heartless cloud, Vanessa was too distracted to notice the man rush towards her. Before she could react, he grabbed her and sped off with her.

"Sora!" she cried. Sora turned around in time to see the man make off with her.

"Vanessa!" he shouted. He tried to go after them, but the Heartless blocked his path. There were too many to ignore. Meanwhile, Vanessa kicked and screamed as the man carried her off to a secluded part of the mountain.

"They're out of sight, you can drop the act now," said a familiar voice. Vanessa gasped.

"R-Riku?" she asked.

"As if you didn't know," he teased. He set her down into the snow. "I know you knew it was me." Vanessa sighed.

"Yeah…" she admitted. She slapped his chest. "…but god dammit man! You scared the crap outta me! You couldn't give me a _warning_ at least? Believe me, not all of that was an act; I was scared!"

"I'm sorry," said Riku. "How've you been?"

"Good actually," said Vanessa. "Well, besides the fact that I had to fight one of my old friends _and_ watch him die, and I almost got my ass kicked by a clone copy of myself. But I _did_ get to pilot a rocket-ship while shooting Heartless space pirates. Now _that_ was freaking cool."

"Sounds like you had quite the adventure."

"And what about you? What've you been doing since you abandoned me?"

"Abandoned you? Vanessa, I never abandoned you. You were with Sora, remember?"

"Yeah yeah… So what's been going on?"

"I spent the time spying on the Organization. I found out something interesting about your clone."

"Lay it on me; I can use all the intel about her I can get before she uses my face as a floor rag again."

"_Technically_, she's a clone of both you and Sora, but she takes up more from you than him."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that after she, y'know, _told_ me."

"Ok, well, her strength is directly proportional to how angry she is. The angrier she is…"

"…the stronger she gets, yeah, I got that too."

"That's all I know."

"That was _very_ informative, _thanks_. We should _totally_ split up for recon more often…" Riku frowned beneath the shadow of his hood.

"What's your problem Vanessa?" he demanded. "Why are you acting this way? Is it something that I've done?" Vanessa turned away from him.

"No…" she muttered. "…it's nothing…"

"It's not _nothing_," countered Riku. "You're obviously troubled by something. It's best to get it off your chest now, before you lash out at someone innocent, like Sora." Vanessa folded her arms.

"I do _not_ lash out!" she defended.

"You do," said Riku. "Sometimes, when you've held it in for a long time, you explode. I've seen it. That's how Number Zero fights. She takes all of her anger and her pain, and she lashes out. She's just like you." Vanessa glared at Riku.

"No!" she cried. "She's _nothing_ like me! She's a freaking monster! She murdered her own comrade in cold-blood! She killed Demyx for no god damn reason! I'm not like that!"

"You're right…" said Riku. "…you're no killer. But you have that anger inside of you. An anger that could turn you into one; your own personal Darkness." Vanessa gritted her teeth.

"And I bet you'd know all about that huh?" she retorted. Riku flinched.

"V-Vanessa!" he exclaimed. "That was low!"

"Oh yeah?" she said indifferently. "Well, them's the breaks." She began to walk away. "I'm going back to Sora. He probably needs me. Take care of yourself Riku."

"Vanessa!" he called. He grabbed her arm. "Wait! Please, I'm sorry. What ever I did, I'm sorry. I don't want you to be mad at me; you're the only friend I have." Vanessa turned to face him.

"That's not true," she said. "You got Sora. You got Kairi. Don't forget them." Riku looked away and said nothing. "They're still your friends Riku. Sora's been begging me to tell him where you are, and Kairi's worrying herself gray over you." She flinched. "Kairi! Oh god, Riku, I forgot to tell you! Kairi, she…!"

"I know," said Riku. Vanessa looked down.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I tried, but Saïx…" Riku placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok," he said. "Kairi's safe for the time being."

"_Safe_?" said Vanessa. "You call that _safe_? She's behind enemy lines! I don't know about you, but in _my_ opinion, that ain't safe!"

"But she's fine," said Riku. "She's in no immediate danger." Vanessa sighed.

"I still should've protected her better…" she grumbled.

"That wasn't your job," said Riku. "I'll worry about Kairi. You just fulfill your promise." Vanessa smiled.

"Ok, I guess that's all I can do now," she said. "I'm sorry Riku."

"For what?" he asked.

"For getting all mad at you earlier," said Vanessa. "You didn't do anything, you really didn't. I'm just a little upset."

"What about?" asked Riku. Vanessa shook her head.

"Sorry…" she said. "…don't wanna talk about it."

"You'll tell me when you're ready," said Riku. He clasped his hand around Vanessa's. "I'll wait." She smiled.

"Thanks," she said. "I miss you, I really do."

"I miss you too," said Riku. "When will you come back to me?" Vanessa blushed.

"Come back to you?" she repeated. "God, I hope you meant to say something else!" Riku faltered. He was about to respond, but a voice interrupted.

"Vanessa!" cried Sora. "Vanessa! Where are you?" They peeked around the corner to see Sora and company looking for her. "Vanessa!"

"Well…" she said. "…that's my cue to go. I'll see you around Riku. I'll try to come back soon." She tried to walk away, but Riku still had her hand. He gently pulled her into him and kissed her softly on the lips before disappearing into the Darkness. Vanessa stumbled out into the open in a daze.

"Vanessa!" called Sora. He rushed up to her. "Are you ok? What happened? I saw you being kidnapped!" Vanessa snapped back to reality.

"Huh? Oh yeah," she said.

"Who was it?" asked Goofy.

"It was Riku wasn't it?" Sora pressed. Vanessa flinched.

"Oh, uh, I don't know…" she lied. "…I kicked his ass and escaped before he could say anything to me. What'd I miss?"

"Just the Heartless swarm, no big deal," said Sora. "Let's go to the palace now." Vanessa nodded and followed behind him. She involuntarily touched her still tingling lips and grinned. She thought of the kiss, but her bliss was short-lived. A giant Heartless flew over head. It was so huge that it momentarily blocked out the sun. It was headed straight for the palace.

"Well…" said Vanessa as she watched the scene unfold before her. "…I think I speak for everyone when I say we gotta get the hell off this god-forsaken mountain and get over to the palace, like, _right now_."


	17. Operation: WTF

Zero tightly clenched her gloved fists. She could not do it, she _refused_ to do it. She would have rather died in the bottomless pits of obscurity and disappointment before she stooped to such a low proposition.

"And yet…" she thought bitterly. "…I do not believe I have a _choice_."

Actually, she had a choice. She could either allow the fanfiction she co-starred in to become a failure, disappoint the tiny fan-base she had worked hard to acquire, and become a mere memory, _or_ she could work together with Vanessa to salvage what little relevance they had left. Mortal enemies working together? Zero shuddered at the thought.

"I _can't_!" she told herself. She sighed. "But I _must_." Her fingers trembled as she reached for her phone. Suddenly, it rang, causing the Nobody OC to jump. She quickly grabbed it and held it to her ear.

"H-Hello?" she answered frantically.

"Is this _Pizza City_?" said a voice on the other end. Zero furrowed her brows.

"Wh-What?" she questioned. "I'm sorry; I believe you have the wrong number."

"Oh…" said the voice, "…you sure? I could swear I…" _Click!_ Zero hung up the phone mid-sentence. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. It had her name on it, which was nice, but it was a bit too high off the ground for her taste. She requested a lower one, but no one ever got back to her on it. It pissed her off; Vanessa got a perfect chair right way!

"No, no, no," Zero refused. "I can't, I _won't_!" She folded her arms and turned away from her phone like a petulant child. "I won't do it!" The phone sat idly by as Zero tried her best to ignore its looming presence.

Being a fanfiction OC was hard work. Being an OC to a talented yet lazy author was just painful, as Zero came to experience. It baffled her how her creator managed to make a name for herself among a sizable group of interested readers, and now she was about to throw it all away for mere _laziness._ Zero wanted nothing more than for Amor of Niam to finish the story, but there was nothing she could do.

Not unless she consulted Vanessa. For some reason, Vanessa had access to their mutual creator, as shown in the 'author's note' of _Another Side, Another Story: Sunset_ chapters 20 and 21. Can some one say "paradox"?

"Must…resist…urge…to call…bitch…" Zero muttered through gritted teeth as she tightly clenched the armrests of her chair in a rigor mortis death grip. Suddenly, a dark portal appeared beside her, causing her to cry out as she fell backwards in her chair. She quickly scrambled to her feet to see Vanessa standing before her, her signature grin on her face. Zero growled and summoned her unnecessarily heavy Keyblade.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Cut the shit Zero, you know why I'm here," the main character of the ASAS saga replied. Zero grudgingly called away her weapon.

"Yes…" she admitted, "…you are upset that Amor has slightest us." Vanessa folded her arms.

"Damn right I am!" she exclaimed. "I mean come on man, it's been months now! And it's not just us she's throwing to the gutter, but her faithful readers too!" She added with a grumble, "And my fans…" Zero rolled her eyes; easy for _her_ to say.

"What should we do?" the Nobody asked. "What _can_ we do?" Vanessa smirked evilly.

"Me thinks me gots an idea," she replied. She cackled.

"Don't do that," Zero said. Vanessa stopped and opened a portal.

"Come my seemingly-evil-though-really-just-misunderstood Nobody counterpart!" Vanessa instructed. "It is time we pay our creator a _visit_!" She quickly stepped inside the portal. Zero groaned as she followed suit.

"What'd I get myself into?" she thought. The two girls reappeared in a dark room. Zero looked around, unfamiliar with the area.

"Where are we?" she whispered.

"Amor's bedroom," Vanessa replied. "I can tell because of all the anime posters she has on her walls." She pointed at the bed before them. "And there she rests." Sure enough, a sleeping figure slept soundly on the bed. She wore a sleeping mask, so she was completely unaware of what was about to unfold for her. Vanessa cackled evilly once more.

"Didn't I say not to do that?" said Zero. "You sound ridiculous." Vanessa just waved her co-star off.

"Let's just get to work," she said. "Follow my lead."

The creator of the ASAS saga herself, the great and awesome, albeit lazy as hell, Amor of Niam awoke to something tickling her nose. She tried to peel off her sleeping mask, but found that she could not move at all. Suddenly, her lamp was turned on, the only light in her room being she lacked an overhead, and her mask was pushed up over her head by an unknown force. Her eyes stung for moment from the light, but after the sensation stopped, her eyes widened at what she saw.

She was currently tied to her bed, and at her bedside were two girls she had never seen before, but vaguely felt she should recognize.

"What the…?" she questioned. She tried to move, but escape was futile; she was tied down pretty tightly. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"How can you not recognize us?" Zero replied. "After all, if it were not for you, we would not exist." Amor gasped.

"Z-Zero?" she stammered. She looked at the other girl. "V-Vanessa?"

"Ding ding ding! We have ourselves a winner folks!" Vanessa said sarcastically. "How's it going Amor of Niam, if that's your _real_ name?" Amor furrowed her brows.

"Of course it's not my…" she began, but stopped when she realized she was talking to fictional characters. "What the hell do you want?"

"It's not a matter of what we want…" said Zero, "…it's what you have failed to do." Vanessa furrowed her brows.

"That made no sense," she said. Zero faltered.

"What?" she said. "Who cares? Anyway, Amor of Niam, you have failed in your duty to finish your story in a timely manner. Your fans, as well as we, are very disappointed in you."

"What are you talking about?" Amor asked. "It's only been a couple of months!"

"Try three, almost _four_," Vanessa countered. "Aren't you the same one who said you'd try to have new chapters out by the end of May, June the latest? It's fricking _August_!" Amor shook her head.

"It can't be August!" she challenged. "The calendar says it's July!"

"That's because you haven't changed it yet," Zero explained.

"Whatever!" Amor snapped. "I'll get to it eventually, alright? Jeez, can I get back to sleep now? It's 4 AM!" Vanessa sat at the foot of the bed and pulled out a packet of papers from her coat.

"Do you know what this is Amor of Niam?" Vanessa asked. Amor just stared at the packet. "That's right; it's a collection of reviews from your story, reviews you hadn't bothered to read at least twice. Would you like me to read you some?" Amor chuckled nervously.

"That won't be nece…" she tried to say, but was interrupted.

"Here's one from one of your loyal reviewer _heartless-lover12_," said Vanessa."She writes, 'please don't give up! I really was hooked on this story!'."

"Ok, fine. But that's just _one_," Amor countered. Vanessa handed the packet to Zero.

"Or how about this one from, excerpted from _Himeka-wolfie_'s review," she said. "She wrote, 'I REALLY HOPE YOU REVIEW SOON! Get those plot bunnies working in overdrive', whatever that meant."

"She meant to put your ass if gear Amor of Niam!" Vanessa said, adding her two cents. "And forget the people asking you to continue; what about your fans in general? People like _The Misaki Sisters_, _Kanika Meskhenet_, that chick too lazy to log in properly, _blue moon_ something or another…"

"…_X-YukikoMisaki-X_, _fictionalcharacterwish_, and countless others!" Zero added. "You've got 11 story alerts, many more author alerts, and over 5,000 combined hits on your entire saga! You're letting down _a lot_ of people!" Amor averted her eyes from her characters.

"You're right…" she whispered, "…you're absolutely right. I started this story because I wanted to show the people out there that there are authors capable of making a good, non-Mary-Sueish OC-centric story. I succeeded, but I'm not done proving my point. I started this, now I gotta end it." Vanessa tenderly placed a hand on Amor's leg.

"Than do it," she said. "If not for us or you fans, than do it for you." Amor nodded.

"Yeah!" she said. "You're right! I'll finish this story if it's the last thing I do!"

"That's the spirit!" said Vanessa. "Now here, read this." She held a sheet of paper up to Amor's face.

"**I, Amor of Niam, hereby promise to churn out a chapter in two weeks time**…" she read, "...**if not, I give my fans full permission to completely alienate any subsequent story I try to write**…what the hell is this?"

"Doesn't matter, she read it; bounce!" Vanessa said hurriedly. With that, the two OCs disappeared, leaving their creator alone.

"Hey! Come back!" she cried. She struggled to break free from her bonds. "At least untie me first!" Meanwhile, back at Zero's chair, Vanessa and Zero high-fived and congratulated each other on a job well done.

"That was _epic_!" Vanessa said. "She'll _have_ to finish the story now!" Zero smiled, an extremely rare event.

"Finally," she said. "I'm curious as to how everything will turn out in the end." Vanessa smirked knowingly.

"Careful what you wish for Number Zero!" she said in teasing singsong. Zero furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Why?" she inquired.

"Oh _nothing_!" said Vanessa. She began to laugh. "Nothing at all!" She disappeared into the Corridor of Darkness, leaving Zero to her own devices. The Nobody just shrugged and sat down in her chair. She sighed and sank into it.

"Whatever…" she said. An unsettling thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"Wait a minute…Vanessa? What did you mean? Vanessa? God damn it!"  
- **Author's Note**: I hope you guys enjoyed that little teaser chapter, and yes you read right, a new chapter is on the way! I'd just like to thank all of you who stuck by me, especially those of you who were mentioned. And don't worry, just because you weren't mentioned by name, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate you; I love you guys too! Even you lovely ghost-readers who've been keeping my hit counter up the past few months! You guys are great! But would it _kill_ you to leave a review? Damn…

Ciao 4 Now,  
Amor of Niam.


	18. The Pain of a Sweet Memory

Author's Note: Who's back? _I'm_ back! That's right my fellow readers, Amor of Niam's back and (hopefully) better than ever! I'd just like to start by saying how sorry I am for being so lazy; I wrote a lot of other fanfics to other games that were tickling my fancy (read: Final Fantasy 7), so this one sorta fell by the wayside, sorry! I hope you guys enjoyed the teaser to make up for it; I actually wrote that on a whim lol. But anyway, so here we are, chapter 17, another Zero chapter for all you Zero lovers out there, but I hope you all enjoy it! But read it slowly, the next chapter isn't gonna follow at supersonic speed (read: 24 hours) like I _used_ to do, but it sure isn't gonna take no month either, so stay tuned!

Disclaimer: Oh how I missed doing these..._not _(Yes, I did just bring that back)! But for the sake of doing it, I do not own Kingdom Hearts and everything in it.

Chapter 17: The Pain of a Sweet Memory

_Promise me that no matter what, we'll always be friends… _**(1)**

Number Zero panted heavily as she dragged her Keyblade across the earth. She had just completed a mission. The mission itself was quite simple; all she had to do was collect hearts. However, something strange was happening to her, something that made even the simplest of missions increasingly complicated.

For some reason, Zero was finding it rather difficult to properly wield her Keyblade. With each passing day, the burden of her weapon grew stronger. Carrying it was a chore, let alone fighting with it. She was having trouble focusing her anger; it was as if she was losing reasons to be angry. She still felt a hatred for her Somebody, or at least, she thought she did. Each day brought a growing sense of confusion.

The young Nobody slipped through a portal of Darkness back to the Castle That Never Was. When she arrived, she collapsed from exhaustion on the floor of the Grey Area, not caring who was there to see her.

"Was your mission successful?" was the first thing Saïx said to her. Number Zero was more than used to her overseer's lack of concern for her well-being, but this time, it annoyed her. Zero lifted herself from the ground and onto her knees. She wavered slightly on her feet, but was able to stand without falling.

"Yes sir," she said with as little emotion as she could muster, but somehow a hint of agitated sarcasm found its way into her voice.

_Is that all you care about? Not even a 'Hey, are you alright?' or 'Good work' every now and again? Or a cookie? Throw me a freaking bone here!_

Zero grasped her aching head with one hand and supported herself on the window with the other. On several occasions, memories would float into Zero's mind, normally trigged by very specific events and followed by terrible headaches. As soon as her gloved fingers touched the smooth glass, another memory was triggered:

_What the heck are you doing?_

_I'm trying to see if I can morph though the window. _**(2)**

"Why is this happening to me?" she wondered everyday. No one would give a straight answer, if they gave her one at all. She forced herself away from the window and shot an accusing glare at Saïx.

"What is happening to me?" she demanded. "What aren't you telling me?" Saïx did not turn to acknowledge her, but Zero could see a smirk on the corner of his lips.

"You will now when the time comes," he replied. Zero clenched her fists.

"But what if it's too late by then?" she pressed. "Why do I keep seeing her in my thoughts, my dreams? Why won't anyone _tell me anything_?" She was shouting now, her body trembling with hopeless rage. Did she not have the right to know what was going on with her own mind? She may not have had a heart, but she had a body and a mind, and they were both hers.

"It is not my place to say," Saïx remarked. Zero cried out in frustration and punched the window with her fist. She did not break through it, but she did cause a sizable crack to appear. She stormed out of the Grey Area, kicking one of the coffee tables over in the process, not caring of the consequences that would come to her later. She flipped up her hood and stalked through the halls of the castle. She never had a particular destination in mind, but her feet seemed to move automatically, carrying her towards the dungeons.

Once she arrived, Zero felt a sudden, uncontrollable urge to hit the bars of the cells. She did not know why, or what it would accomplish, but she gave into the desire and summoned her Keyblade. The jewel glowed bright crimson, a color Zero had not seen in several days. She proceeded to swing her weapon at the bars of the cell closest to her. Several were destroyed with that one swing.

_Screw this self-pity crap! I'm getting the hell outta here my own damn self! _**(3)**

When the first cell was completely destroyed, Zero moved on to another.

_Just a little more!_

Zero kept destroying cell bars to her nonexistent heart's content. Since there were many, she was kept busy for quite awhile. She did not stop until she reached the cell that held the prisoner Kairi. The pink clad girl sat on the ground of the floor, trembling in frightened shock. She had fallen asleep earlier on, only to be awakened by the sound of Zero's rampage. She could not tell what was happening, but the noise startled her.

"Was that you?" Kairi asked fearfully. Zero said nothing, only stared at the girl from the shadow of her hood. "Are you here to hurt me?"

_I know we've only just met, but please, could you do me a favor?_

_A favor? What?_

_Could you please make sure they come home ok? _**(4)**

"That's…a tall order…" Zero mumbled, "…for someone you've just met." Kairi gasped and stood to her feet.

"V-Vanessa? Is that you?" she asked. Zero growled.

"Do I look like Vanessa to you?" she yelled as she ripped off her hood. "How dare you mistake me for her?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kairi exclaimed. "I thought…!" Zero grabbed Kairi's shirt through the bars, causing the girl to yelp. She struggled to free herself from Zero's grasp, but the Nobody was too strong. "Let me go!"

"I am tired of everyone mistaking me for her!" Zero cried. "I'm sick of it!" Her eyes burned into Kairi's with a crazed, desperate look. "Do you know what it is like? To not have an identity?" Kairi shook her head, too frightened to speak. Zero pushed her away, causing her to fall backwards onto the floor.

"Let me tell you…" muttered Zero, "…it's the worst feeling in the world." Kairi looked up to see Zero smiling at the irony of her statement. Her smile was not cynical, but one of sadness.

"Zero…" Kairi whispered. She stood to her feet. "…let us help you." Zero laughed and shook her head.

"I can't be helped," she said. Her smile melted into a frown. "After all, I'm just…" She began to disappear into the Darkness. "…a Nobody."

Once inside the Corridor of Darkness, she lingered for a while. She did not want to go back inside the castle; there was for her there. As she walked through the inky blackness of this sub-world, more memories invaded her mind:

_What the hell were you trying to prove? Now Kairi's gone! Are you happy now? You both ruined your chance and endangered one of my friends! Good going you stupid mother-fu…!_

_Shut up! None of this would've happened if it weren't for you! _**(5)**

"So I finally catch you," said a familiar voice. Zero gasped and whirled around. Behind her was a man dressed in the Organization's coat, his hood covering his head. Zero bent to her knee and bowed her head.

"Superior!" she exclaimed. The man chuckled.

"I'm sorry…" he said, "…I believe you've mistaken me for someone else." Zero quickly rose to her feet and summoned her Keyblade. She struggled to hold her weapon into a proper position; her mind was too clouded to focus her strength, her jewel's light too dim. "You're getting weaker." Zero smirked.

"I may not be as strong, but I can still whip you into next Tuesday!" she countered. The man laughed.

"If I hadn't known any better, I would have mistaken you for Vanessa!" he said. Zero gritted her teeth. The Keyblade's jewel glowed brightly.

"Shut up!" she shouted as she attacked. The man called forth his sword and blocked Zero's attack. She managed to push him back, but only slightly; he was much stronger than any opponent she had faced before. The two combatants jumped away from each to give themselves charging room.

"Who are you?" Zero demanded. She held her forehead in pain; she felt another headache coming on.

_You better watch your back Riku; once you become friends with me, you won't be able to get rid of me so easily! _**(6)**

"Ri…ku…?" Zero whispered. She held up her Keyblade once more, ready to fight again. "Riku? Is that who you are? Why do you sound so much like the Superior?" Riku just motioned for the Nobody to bring on the fight. Zero complied and rushed in to attack. Riku was faster, so he effortlessly blocked the attack to avoid damage, but because Zero was stronger than he anticipated, even in her weakness she was able to push his sword into the ground.

"I need to stop underestimating you Nobodies," Riku joked wryly. He pulled his weapon out of the ground and put it away. "I don't want to fight you; I just want to talk."

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about?" she asked cautiously, her weapon still at the ready, just in case. Riku opened a portal to the outside.

"Follow me," he said. He left. Zero stared at the portal the mysterious man had left through. Was this a trap? She did not know. She sighed.

"What have I to lose?" she thought as she stepped inside.

Her eyes were almost immediately blinded by the sun. It took her a while to become used to the intensity of the sun's rays, but when she did, she noticed that she was on a tropical island. Ahead of her was the sea, clear and blue.

"This place…" she thought.

_Y'know, I've never been to the ocean before. There's no beach near my home._

_No? That's a shame. The ocean can be a wonderful place. _**(7)**

Zero fell to her knees; the memories triggered by this place were the strongest she had ever felt.

_I feel as if I've known you all my life._

_Same here. I wonder why? _**(8)**

"Do you feel it?" said Riku's voice. Zero jumped to her feet in alarm; she did not see the mysterious man standing beside her until just now.

"I can not feel," Zero replied bitterly. Riku nodded.

"I know…" he said, "…but you feel it anyway, don't you?"

"What am I supposed to be feeling?" Zero asked just to humor the man, hoping he would get to the point.

"Her presence," Riku replied. "Her memories." Zero frowned.

"What is the point of this?" she demanded.

"Why do you hate her so much?"

"She has a heart and I don't."

"But so do I; do you hate me too?"

"It's not the same. They say she is better than me, but why? I'm stronger than her and more obedient." Zero clenched her fists. "Yet they consider me half as useful as her! I don't understand! What is so great about a heart that makes her better than me?"

"Why do you stay with them even though they treat you this way?" Riku asked. Zero shook her head.

"I don't care how they treat me," she scoffed.

"Obviously you do," Riku challenged. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be so upset all the time."

"I can be upset all I want!" Zero cried. "I deserve to be upset! Are you here to say I don't? If so, save it; I won't hear anything of it!" She turned to run, but Riku grabbed her arm, preventing her escape.

"If you deserve so much better, why do you keep going back?" Riku asked. Zero struggled to free herself.

"Why do you care?" she cried. "You said so yourself, you have a heart, so why would you care about a Nobody like me?" Riku said nothing and allowed Zero to slip out of his grasp. What could he possibly say to this girl? He watched her open a portal for herself; he had to say something.

"The Organization is just using you," Riku blurted. "They don't care about you at all; is that what you want?"

"It's not a matter of what I want," said Zero. "Besides, the Organization is all I have in this world, whether they care for me or not. Where else would I go?"

"I don't know," Riku admitted. Zero laughed shortly.

"I thought as much," she said. She turned back to Riku and offered him a small smile. "Can you do me a favor?"

"What?" Riku asked.

"Can you tell Vanessa…" said Zero, "…that she's lucky?" She disappeared into the Darkness before Riku could give her an answer.

**AN: _(Challenge)_ Hmm, I wonder if all you die-hard fans out there can name all the chapters I lifted these memories from? Hint: They're from both stories. And no, I didn't skip one; it wasn't in the story until now.**


	19. Author's Note: That time has come

**Author's Note**

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I didn't realize how much time has slipped away from me! I'm really sorry guys, really, truly sorry!

That being said, I gotta be honest; this story is going to crap. There I said it. I can't focus on it anymore; it's impossible! Between college, my shifting interests, college, writer's block, and don't let me forget to mention college, the chances of me finishing this story in a timely manner are nil to none, let alone me finishing the story period.

I really hate to let you guys down this way, I promised I wouldn't but, well, things don't always go as planned, and I hate to be the douche to do this but, I can't lie. I'm not gonna sit here and lie and say that the story can be saved, because I know myself well enough to know that it can't and won't.

It's been a good run guys. In all my years of writing, the _Another Side, Another Story_ series was the most popular one I have ever written. Also, _Sunset_ was the only story I have ever written that I have finished, so there's that!

I know you don't want to hear this BS, but it is what it is. Once again, sorry for letting all my fans down, but I hope that I at least accomplished what I set out to do in the first place: raise the bar for what an OC fanfiction should be, even if only a little. Geez that kinda sounded like I was tooting my own horn! But anyway, to all my fans, I cannot thank you enough for all the support you've given me over the past few months. I truly enjoyed waking up every morning and checking my e-mail for the latest review from you guys; it's what kept me going thus far. I'm not gonna retire as a writer though, not yet, so if you're not too pissed at me, check out some of my other stories that will be coming in the near future (end of shameless self-promoting)! Love you guys, stay golden!

That's all she wrote,  
Amor of Niam.


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